Yoon Emphasizes 'Principles'... Personnel, Remarks, and Communication Remain Challenges

[One Year Since President Yoon Seok-yeol's Election]②
Yoon Mentioned 'Law and Principles' but Faced Controversies Over Personnel and Communication
For Reform, Controversy Analysis and Reestablishing Principles Are Needed

President Yoon Suk-yeol marks the first anniversary of his election on the 10th day. Throughout his tenure, President Yoon has strongly pushed for the three major reforms in labor, education, and pensions, emphasizing "law and principles." He has also shown concrete achievements through economic diplomacy. On the other hand, criticisms have consistently emerged that the principles set by President Yoon have been broken, ranging from personnel issues and controversies over overseas visits to remarks controversies and the suspension of doorstepping (brief Q&A sessions on the way to work).

Before and after the launch of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, key positions in the presidential office and government appointments were filled by former prosecutors, leading to criticism that it was a "prosecutor government." Additionally, the hiring of the sister and acquaintances' children of far-right YouTubers as administrative officers and staff in the presidential office sparked controversy over "reward appointments." The presidential office rebutted, saying these were "people who worked together during the election campaign and demonstrated their abilities," but ultimately, these individuals left the presidential office.

Cabinet appointments also came under scrutiny. Candidates for Minister of Health and Welfare such as Jeong Ho-young and Kim Seung-hee, and Song Ok-ryul, nominee for Chairperson of the Fair Trade Commission, all fell due to various controversies. Despite various controversies, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Park Soon-ae, who was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, resigned after mentioning unconfirmed policies such as lowering the elementary school entrance age.

Various controversies also arose during President Yoon's overseas visits. In June last year, when he visited Madrid, Spain, to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit, he was criticized for allowing Shin Mo, the spouse of Lee Won-mo, presidential secretary for personnel and a health food company CEO, to board the presidential plane as a civilian. During his visits to the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada in September, controversies arose over President Yoon's remarks. During the Southeast Asia tour in November, there was a refusal to allow an MBC reporter to board the presidential plane, and in January this year, during a state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), remarks related to Iran sparked controversy.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is delivering a congratulatory speech at the People Power Party's 3rd National Convention held on the 8th at KINTEX in Ilsan, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

The presidential office explained each case, stating, "Shin was recognized for her event planning abilities," "The mention was not of Biden (U.S. President Joe Biden) but of Nari," "Overseas visits involve national interests. MBC did not apologize for its coverage of President Yoon's remarks during the U.S. visit," and "The remarks to the ARC troops were intended to urge them to face the security realities of the UAE." However, President Yoon's approval rating fluctuated, dropping to the 20% range.

Criticism is also mounting that the communication enhancement, which was the justification for relocating the presidential office to Yongsan?a move that consumed political capital due to strong opposition criticism even before the government was launched?is now retreating. It has been 113 days since doorstepping, which was conducted more than 50 times after a verbal exchange between an MBC reporter and a presidential secretary, was suspended. Instead of the usual New Year's press conference held by the president, an interview with a specific media outlet was held.

The presidential office's criticism of Assemblyman Ahn Cheol-soo's "Yoon-Ahn coalition" claim, who was a candidate for party leader last month, and explanations by presidential office officials regarding the controversy over the presidential office's civil society secretary's involvement in the People Power Party's party convention also sparked controversy. However, with Assemblyman Kim Ki-hyun, representing Yoon's faction, winning the day before, a foundation has been laid for President Yoon and the party to unite and focus on state affairs.

However, as President Yoon enters his second year in office, there are calls for him to analyze the causes of the controversies raised so far and to reestablish principles. Although President Yoon has shown a stance of not being obsessed with approval ratings, saying "players do not look at the scoreboard," in a situation where the ruling party is in the minority, national support is needed more than the ruling party's backing to firmly push forward major state tasks such as the three major reforms.

In this regard, the presidential office plans to raise support by making sincere efforts, such as revitalizing the economy and improving people's livelihoods, a principle. A presidential office official said, "There will be no first anniversary celebration event. The world is changing every moment, and the country stands at a crossroads of survival and prosperity. The Yoon Suk-yeol government will break down vested interest cartels and bear the heavy responsibility of providing a better future for the people struggling to make a living."