Press Conference After 1 Year and 9 Months... 1 Hour Q&A
Answering as Many Questions as Possible Without Topic Restrictions
Attention on Whether It Can Shed Image of Poor Communication and Regain National Momentum
President Yoon Suk-yeol listens to the remarks of Jo?o Louren?o, President of Angola, at the expanded Korea-Angola summit held at the Yongsan Presidential Office in Seoul on the 30th of last month. [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 expected to engage in a free Q&A session for about an hour on sensitive national issues. It is anticipated that he will provide specific statements regarding suspicions surrounding First Lady Kim Keon-hee.
Kim Soo-kyung, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, announced President Yoon’s plan for the second anniversary press conference during a meeting with reporters at the briefing room of the Yongsan Presidential Office on the afternoon of the 6th.
Spokesperson Kim said, "Before the press conference, President Yoon will first explain the policy direction and progress of state affairs over the past two years through a video message to the public from 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 begin 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.
An official from the Presidential Office explained the background for holding the press conference, saying, "The President has expressed his intention to expand communication and contact points with the media. The purpose of the press conference is for the President to directly and thoroughly explain parts that the public wants to know about or misunderstand."
The press conference is expected to include a Q&A session without topic restrictions lasting about an hour.
The official added, "While it would be ideal not to set a time limit, realistically that is somewhat difficult. Although not all questions can be answered, we will try to accommodate as many as possible."
The questioners will not be directly selected by President Yoon; instead, spokesperson Kim, who will moderate the session, will 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 have high public interest. Even on the last day of the holiday, he has not scheduled other events and is reviewing his remarks.
An official from the Presidential Office said, "The President expects questions on virtually all topics. He has instructed that rather than obvious questions such as reflections on the past two years, the focus should be on questions that the public is curious about."
Kim Soo-kyung, spokesperson for the Presidential Office, is making an announcement on the 6th at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul regarding President Yoon Seok-yeol's upcoming 2nd anniversary press conference scheduled for the 9th. [Image source=Yonhap News]
Accordingly, at this press conference, President Yoon is expected to directly address not only suspicions related to First Lady Kim Keon-hee but also the exercise of the veto power regarding the "Special Prosecutor Appointment Act for the Investigation of Obstruction and Concealment of the Truth in the Case of the Death of a Marine in the Line of Duty" (Special Prosecutor Act proposed by Chae Sang-byeong), the revival of the Office of the Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs, and the expansion of medical school quotas.
Attention is focused on whether President Yoon can dispel the image of being "uncommunicative," which was cited as a factor in the ruling party’s crushing defeat in the general election, through this press conference. For President Yoon, it is necessary to use this opportunity to raise approval ratings in order to secure momentum for governance over the next three years.
President Yoon’s stance on First Lady Kim’s alleged stock manipulation of Deutsch Motors and the suspicion of receiving luxury handbags is also under scrutiny. Earlier, in a New Year interview with KBS in February, President Yoon explained the "luxury bag receipt suspicion" by saying, "It is difficult for the President’s wife to be overly formal with anyone," but public opinion remained cold.
Some analysts suggest that since the prosecution recently formed a dedicated investigation team to probe the First Lady’s suspicions, President Yoon may argue against the opposition party’s push for the "Kim Keon-hee Special Prosecutor Act" on the grounds that the investigation is ongoing.
President Yoon is also expected to comment on the Special Prosecutor Act led by the opposition party that recently passed the National Assembly. Since the Presidential Office has already indicated that it cannot accept the bill, President Yoon is likely to point out legal issues and exercise veto power if the bill is forwarded to the government.
President Yoon may also reveal his position on reinstating the Office of the Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs, which he promised to abolish during his presidential campaign. It is reported that the announcement of the office’s reinstatement will be made on the 7th, before the press conference. Former Deputy Minister of Justice Kim Joo-hyun is a strong candidate for the Senior Presidential Secretary for Civil Affairs position.
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