Yoon Begins New Year Work with Visit to National Cemetery... Government Vision for Third Year Soon to Be Unveiled

New Year's Day Visit to National Cemetery... Accompanied by Cabinet Members and Aides
Third Year of Administration New Year's Address to Emphasize 'Warm Government' Planned

President Yoon Suk-yeol visited the Seoul Dongjak-dong National Cemetery on the 1st as his first official schedule of the new year to pay respects. President Yoon is expected to present his vision for the third year of his administration in his New Year's address on the same day.

The presidential office announced that President Yoon visited the National Cemetery in the morning to pay respects to the patriotic martyrs and war heroes. Key cabinet members and presidential aides accompanied him during the visit.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is heading to the Memorial Tower at the National Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, on January 1, 2024, the first day of the new year, along with Cabinet members and aides.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

President Yoon will deliver his New Year's address at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the same day. The address is expected to emphasize messages about a "warm government" and a "government that solves problems." The core message is to prioritize people's livelihood and the economy in state affairs and to pay closer attention to public sentiment.

At the end of last year, President Yoon visited livelihood sites and reiterated his commitment to creating a warm government that provides stronger support for the underprivileged and vulnerable. A presidential office official said, "President Yoon will emphasize a government that acts immediately to resolve issues and a government that takes action," adding, "He plans to declare the implementation of a warm government that takes care of people's livelihood through policies."

Through the New Year's address, President Yoon is expected to reflect on last year's economic achievements and his thoughts on state affairs. He plans to highlight that he prioritized sound fiscal policies while managing state affairs amid an unprecedented global complex crisis. He is also expected to reiterate his intention to value voices from the field.

Additionally, he will mention his determination to address specific current issues such as low birth rates, real estate problems, and support for small business owners. Along with this, President Yoon will reaffirm his commitment to completing various state tasks, including the three major reforms in pensions, labor, and education that he emphasized in last year's New Year's address. Furthermore, given North Korea's advancement in nuclear and missile development and its escalation of provocations by defining inter-Korean relations as "hostile relations between two states," he may also deliver security-related messages.

Attention is also focused on whether he will mention his decision to exercise the veto power regarding the "Kim Geon-hee Special Prosecutor Act," which was passed in the National Assembly led by the opposition party.

Meanwhile, ahead of the general election in April this year, President Yoon has completely reorganized his presidential secretariat, including the chief of staff. Since the People Power Party has also newly launched under the emergency committee chairmanship of Han Dong-hoon, it is interpreted that the focus is on solving livelihood issues rather than ideology.