Yoon on Luxury Bag Controversy: "Political Plot... Will Clearly Draw the Line in Future Conduct" (Comprehensive)

"Problem of Not Cutting Off Coldly"
"Reviewed by the Secretary Office of the 2nd Secretariat"
"Medical School Quota Expansion Cannot Be Delayed Any Longer"
Low Birthrate as the Top National Task
Total Fertility Rate Target of 1.0

President Yoon Suk-yeol is responding to an anchor's question regarding the controversy over First Lady Kim Keon-hee's pouch during the special interview "Visiting the Presidential Office," which aired on KBS 1TV on the afternoon of the 7th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 7th regarding the controversy over his wife Kim Geon-hee's receipt of luxury handbags, "It should be seen as a political conspiracy," adding, "The problem was not cutting it off mercilessly." This was the first time President Yoon directly expressed his position on the controversy surrounding Mrs. Kim.

On the night of the 7th, in the KBS broadcast 'Special Interview: Visiting the Presidential Office,' President Yoon emphasized, "The fact that this issue was brought up a year later, right before the election, should be seen as a political conspiracy," and added, "However, what is important is not the political conspiracy itself, but clearly drawing the line and behaving accordingly to prevent such incidents from happening in the future."

Regarding the luxury handbag controversy, President Yoon explained, "It happened before entering the Yongsan residence, so it was a situation where security scanners could not be installed," and said, "My wife’s father passed away when she was in middle school, and the visitor was someone familiar with her father's acquaintances. It is truly difficult for the president or the first lady to treat someone coldly."

Yoon Calls Timing of Leak Before Election a 'Political Conspiracy'

President Yoon said, "In my view, the problem was not cutting it off mercilessly," and added, "From my wife's perspective, it might have been difficult to reject due to various circumstances, but there are regrets." He continued, "I hope the public will listen to my detailed explanation directly, but there are also negative situations that could arise from that," and stated, "From now on, we must clearly act so that the public does not misunderstand, feel anxious, or worry."

Regarding the claim of political conspiracy, President Yoon said, "They even brought a hidden camera in a watch, and the fact that this was revealed a year later right before the election should be seen as a political conspiracy," but added, "From now on, I will be more clear and firm in drawing the line when necessary."

President Yoon also expressed that he is considering establishing a second secretariat or appointing a special inspector to prevent recurrence but was skeptical about their effectiveness.

He said, "There are talks about the Office of Civil Affairs, inspectors, and a second secretariat. The second secretariat is being reviewed by our secretariat," but added, "However, it seems that these measures do not help much in preventing such incidents."

President Yoon explained, "Even if there was a second secretariat, my wife could not reject the visitor, and since the visitor kept insisting on coming, they actually notified and pushed their way in. If you cannot block them coldly, even with a second secretariat, you would have to meet them," and added, "In any case, these systems, including the second secretariat, are currently under review." When asked if he had a marital quarrel with Mrs. Kim over this matter, he laughed and replied, "Not at all."

On the afternoon of the 7th, citizens are watching a special interview with President Yoon Seok-yeol, being broadcasted via KBS, in the Seoul Station waiting room. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the same day, President Yoon hinted that the government plans to accelerate medical reform efforts. This includes expanding medical personnel, reducing legal risks for doctors, establishing a fair compensation system, and creating a regionally comprehensive medical system with essential medical departments.

Earlier, on the 6th, the government held the Health and Medical Policy Deliberation Committee and decided to increase the nationwide medical school admission quota by 2,000 students from next year's university entrance, selecting a total of 5,058 students. In response, medical associations have threatened to launch full-scale protests after the Lunar New Year holiday.

Amid strong opposition from the medical community regarding the increase in medical school quotas, President Yoon reiterated, "Expanding medical school quotas is an issue that can no longer be postponed."

Past Governments Focused on Elections... Expanding Medical School Quotas as a Path to Coexistence

President Yoon said, "Due to our country's aging population, the demand for doctors is increasing, and increasing the number of doctors is necessary. Ultimately, national policies must prioritize the people," and emphasized, "Moreover, since our country's medical personnel level is among the highest in the world, expanding medical school quotas is essential to promote entry into the global medical industry and the bio-healthcare sector and cannot be delayed any longer."

He added, "In the past, governments were too conscious of elections and viewed this issue only as a conflict among domestic medical consumers, patients' families, and medical staff," and said, "In my view, it is a path where patients, their families, and medical staff can all coexist."

President Yoon particularly criticized, "Despite our medical staff's world-class capabilities and the health insurance system's top-level efficiency, the fact that there are issues like pediatric patients rushing to open clinics and emergency room overcrowding is shameful," and pointed out, "According to OECD standards, the number of doctors is among the lowest."

President Yoon Suk-yeol is having a conversation with KBS anchor Park Jang-beom during the KBS special interview "Visiting the Presidential Office" held on the 4th at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Additionally, President Yoon addressed the low birthrate issue, calling it "the government's top national agenda," and said, "We must first aim for a total fertility rate of 1.0 and devise measures accordingly." He pointed out, "The nation must be sustainable, and one of the president's constitutional duties is to ensure the sustainability of the country," adding, "Despite significant financial investment and efforts over the past 20 years, there has been no effect."

He continued, "We plan to divide the issue into structural and specific policy parts and operate the Low Birthrate and Aging Society Committee more efficiently this time to produce visible results."

President Yoon also said, "I think our society is too caught up in excessive and unnecessary competition," and explained, "We are trying to approach this more from a humanistic and family perspective. Balanced regional development is also part of this."

Yoon Says to Han: 'I Will Not Interfere in Elections or Nominations'

Regarding recent conflicts between the presidential office and Han Dong-hoon, the Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, over issues such as candidate nominations for the general election, President Yoon stated, "I told Chairman Han that I would not interfere in election command or nominations."

When asked about whether the conflict between the president and Chairman Han has been resolved and if Chairman Han is doing well, President Yoon replied, "Whether it is the president or the party leader, they must work for the country and the people. Personal matters are not important, and I think it is wrong to judge based on those."

When asked when he last communicated with Chairman Han, he said, "I have not spoken recently. We were close, but I said let's meet after the general election."

Regarding former presidential office aides running in the April 10 general election, President Yoon said, "Do you think there will be a halo effect? The media will not stay silent, and the most important thing is how much distance the party and the presidential office keep. I believe it is impossible for the presidential office to have a halo effect."

He added, "Those running in this election all had political ambitions, and I cannot stop them from running. Although I approved their resignation letters, I told them not to expect any special favors and to compete fairly according to the rules."

President Yoon Suk-yeol is introducing KBS anchor Park Jang-beom to the photos of summit diplomacy, state affairs activities, and family displayed in the office corridor after finishing the recording of KBS's "Special Interview: Visiting the Presidential Office" at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul on the 4th. [Image source=Yonhap News]