Rolling Stones Gather No Moss
Minister of Construction and Transpotation, Lee Yong-sup
Many CNU students seem to have a sense of inferiority in their alma mater compared with students of other universities located in the Capital area. As CNU is just a local university and Korean companies make a great point of academic background, most CNU students think that they don’t have many chances for employment after graduation. On finishing the interview with him, he gave advice on how to develop CNU students can develop their abilities and meet rising competition. “Get rid of the feeling of inferiority as a local university student! It is a pity that many CNU students want to be government officials and apply to the Government Administration Exam without consideration of their talents.
As a matter of fact, it is very difficult to find high-ranking public officials who graduated from local universities in Korean society. Although academic background has been decisive for getting high quality jobs, it is just one requirement.
In this issue, Chonnam Tribune met Lee Yongsup, Minister of Construction and Transportation, who graduated in 1974 and who overcame the obstacle graduating from a local area university to become a high-ranking Korean government official. He probably had undergone tremendous hardships until he finally took Ministerial office. Chonnam Tribune will tell you how he overcame them.
During his university days, he wouldn’t do anything except study hard in order to get a scholarship because he was born to poverty. He didn’t have enough time to take a rest even on weekends. He had to go to his parents’ house in Hampyeong County every weekend and help their farm work.
He said, “I decided to become a public servant in order to overcome his family’s economical difficulties and prepared for the Government Administration Exam. I used my utmost endeavor and passed the examination before graduation.”
After he became a government official, he went through lots of difficulties to win recognition for being a competent man from higher officials. When it came to promotion they were mainly interested in the academic background of officials rather than his/her ability.
He said, “As I graduated from CNU, a university located in a local area, I rarely had opportunities for promotion. So, I had to make desperate personal efforts to improve the quality of my work and to win recognition from high officials.” According to him, many public officials seemed to be promoted to higher office due not to the quality of their work but their alma mater at that time.
This reporter asked what made him a high-ranking official. He answered that ‘self-innovation’ played a very important role in becoming a minister. “I made ceaseless efforts not to get lazy but to practice whatever work I was supposed to be doing in order to improve myself.
This habit not only improved my abilities greatly but also made my colleagues recognize me as a man of ability.” he added. As a result, he was designated as a Senior Secretary to the President for Process and Performance Management in April 2005. Moreover, when he was the Minister of Government
Administration and Home Affairs, he was selected as winner of the 2006 United Nations Public Service Awards. He still makes an effort to invigorate his life and work so that he can be a leader who brings reform to the country.
Though public service is a much sought after career now, we don’t know whether this will continue in the future. Job trends change. The most important thing is to find your talents and further your abilities until you set and reach you goals.
Don’t be discouraged about the perception that one’s academic background is regarded as the important thing in our society. Don’t underestimate your abilities and continuously invigorate yourself. You can do anything you want.”