Why South Korea’s outgoing president is less unpopular than most

JUDGED AGAINST his own high standards Moon Jae-in, South Korea’s outgoing president, is a failure. He took office in May 2017 in a snap election after Park Geun-hye, his predecessor, had been jailed for corruption and abuse of power. There had been months of protests against Ms Park and the discredited political class; Mr Moon campaigned on a platform of social, political and economic renewal. He promised to end the cosy links between politics and big business and create an egalitarian economy. He would move the president’s office from the leafy outskirts to central Seoul, be in constant dialogue with citizens and end self-dealing and partisan strife. Moreover, he would bring an era of peace to the Korean peninsula by making overtures to Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s dictator.