"Only the offensive brings victory."
In April 1917, at the height of World War I, French Commander-in-Chief Robert Nivelle used these words to persuade his prime minister and launched the famous "Nivelle Offensive." The plan was to break through German lines within 48 hours. The operation began at dawn on April 9 with a British assault near Arras, close to the Belgian-French border.
But the Allied plan had already been partially exposed. German forces weathered the barrage of shells in their trenches and counterattacked. The operation that was supposed to end in two days dragged on for two months. Meaningless assaults triggered mass mutinies. All offensive operations ceased on May 9 — after approximately 187,000 French soldiers had been killed. (Kwon Seong-wook, "Black History of the Stars")
In Korean corporate life, we have heard the terms "ttok-ge" (smart-lazy) and "meong-bu" (stupid-diligent) countless times. I had always assumed these classifications originated from the experience of senior colleagues in the workplace. Only belatedly did I learn they actually trace back to Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord, an officer during the Weimar Republic era after World War I, who codified them and emphasized them to his troops. Wikipedia conveys what he said as follows:
"I divide my officers into four categories. The clever and industrious ones are suited for staff roles. The stupid and lazy ones make up 90% of the military and are suited for routine duties. The clever and lazy ones are suited for command. This is because they possess the intellectual clarity and composure needed to make difficult decisions. One must be careful with the stupid and diligent ones. They must not be entrusted with any position, because they will always cause harm to the organization."
It is with a bitter heart that I introduce, in the spring of 2026 as we enter the age of artificial intelligence, the disastrous defeat of a reckless French general a century ago and the insightful leadership assessment framework of his German contemporary.
I would rather not bring it up, but let us place former President Yoon Suk-yeol — who undeniably left his mark on Korea's political history — within Hammerstein-Equord's classification. Now a criminal defendant, what kind of leader was he? Considering the tragicomic anecdotes of his empty presidential car being sent to the office from the residence due to excessive drinking during his tenure, he should be classified as close to "stupid-lazy." Had he stayed that way, he might have served out his five-year term. Instead, he suddenly turned industrious, declared martial law, threw the entire nation into chaos, and chose the path of "stupid-diligent." At this point, Hammerstein-Equord's dictum that "the stupid-diligent must not be entrusted with any position" rings as a timeless maxim.
Intelligent animals exhibit a "learning effect," striving not to repeat past mistakes and errors. Yet there appear to be rare exceptions. This conviction grows stronger when one looks at the opposition leadership, whose party approval ratings have plummeted to around 20%. The conduct of People Power Party (PPP) leader Chang Dong-hyuk is, to any person of sound judgment, a textbook case of the "stupid-diligent."
Not only the ruling party but also the executive branch including the Presidential Office no longer regards the main opposition as a partner in governance — and the majority of the public agrees: "That's understandable." A devastating defeat in the local elections just over two months away seems all but certain, yet the opposition shows no inclination to attempt a strategic pivot. His diligence, which appears to have surrendered full authority to the so-called "asphalt conservatives," can only be interpreted as serving some other agenda.
What we must recall at this juncture is, as the Nivelle Offensive demonstrated, armies commanded by the "stupid-diligent" throughout military history have without exception been "decimated" or "annihilated." Generals who prioritized their own safety or ignored wise counsel and made flawed judgments invariably drove their troops into the killing fields.
Many predict that after the June 3 local elections, Korea's genuine conservative camp will reach the brink of annihilation. The ruling party, mocking a toothless opposition incapable of providing healthy checks or rational criticism, will only accelerate its unchecked dominance. A first-term lawmaker I recently met lamented, "The crisis of democracy in our country will only deepen."
Across the Pacific, a Middle East war sparked by another "stupid-diligent" leader has sent stock markets on a roller coaster, pushed oil prices through the roof, and the economy careening toward its worst state threatens people's livelihoods. Amid all this, an uneasy feeling creeps in that politics itself may vanish.
In this Korea, younger colleagues just stepping onto the battlefield of society ask the countless leaders who must stay sharp and guide their organizations: "'Smart-lazy' or 'stupid-diligent' — what kind of leader are you?"