Yoon to Hold Press Conference at 10 AM on the 9th... "Prepared Mainly for Questions the Public Is Curious About"

Opening Remarks via Video at 10 AM in Office
Followed by 1-Hour Q&A Session in Briefing Room
Explanation of Sensitive Issues Including Allegations Against First Lady Kim Geon-hee

President Yoon Suk-yeol is delivering a congratulatory speech at the 52nd Parents' Day ceremony held on the 3rd at Jangchung Gymnasium in Jung-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol will hold a press conference on the morning of the 9th at 10 a.m. at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul to mark the second anniversary of his inauguration. President Yoon is also expected to engage in a free Q&A session on sensitive national issues for about an hour.

Kim Soo-kyung, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, announced this plan to reporters on the afternoon of the 6th at the briefing room of the Yongsan Presidential Office.

Spokesperson Kim explained, "Before the press conference, President Yoon will first explain the policy direction and progress of state affairs over the past two years to the public through a video in his office, and then outline the plan for the next three years of governance. Afterwards, he will move to the briefing room on the first floor to start the press conference."

This will be President Yoon's first press conference in one year and nine months since his 100-day inauguration press conference in August 2022.

A Presidential Office official said regarding the background of President Yoon holding the press conference, "The President has also expressed his intention to expand communication and contact points with the media," adding, "The purpose of the press conference is for the President to directly and thoroughly explain to the public the parts they want to know and misunderstand."

The press conference will feature an unrestricted Q&A session lasting about an hour. In previous administrations, questions were divided by fields such as economy, society, defense, and diplomacy, but this method was not applied this time as it could give the impression of limiting questions.

The questioners will not be directly selected by President Yoon; instead, spokesperson Kim, who will moderate the session, is expected to select them considering the nature of the media.

At the 100-day press conference, President Yoon made opening remarks for about 20 minutes and then answered 12 questions from reporters over 33 minutes.

President Yoon is reportedly preparing to deliver persuasive messages on sensitive issues that attract strong public interest.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

A Presidential Office official explained, "The President expects questions on virtually all topics," and added, "He suggested focusing on questions that the public would be curious about rather than obvious questions such as reflections on the past two years."

Accordingly, at this press conference, President Yoon is expected to directly address issues including allegations related to First Lady Kim Keon-hee, the exercise of veto power over the 'Special Prosecutor Appointment Act for the Investigation of Obstruction and Concealment of the Truth Regarding the Death of a Marine' (the Chae Sang-byeong Special Prosecutor Act), the revival of the Office of Civil Affairs, and the expansion of medical school quotas.