Bowed Yoon: "If the public dislikes my wife's activities, she shouldn't do them... Personnel reshuffle will take time"

Significant Reduction in Speech Length and Q&A Time
"National Reform... Appointment of Second Deputy Chief of Staff"

Yonhap News

The national address and press conference held on the 7th to mark the midpoint of President Yoon Seok-yeol's term showed differences in format, content, and tone compared to previous occasions. The length of the address was significantly reduced, and the proportion of Q&A was greatly increased, focusing on resolving the public's questions. Given the controversy over 'self-praise' at the last press conference, President Yoon stood up and bowed his head early in the address, saying, "Everything is my fault."

The national address on this day began at 10 a.m. and lasted about 15 minutes. Compared to the government briefing on August 29 (42 minutes) and the 2nd anniversary press conference on May 9 (22 minutes), the prepared address was significantly shortened. The Presidential Office stated that "through a Q&A session with reporters, all issues the public is curious about will be thoroughly explained," indicating an intention to reduce fixed remarks and receive as many questions as possible.

As the Q&A time was extended, President Yoon started the press conference seated. Considering the approval rating had fallen to a historic low of 19% (according to Gallup Korea), President Yoon, with a somber expression, focused more on conveying sincerity rather than reading the address verbatim. Early in the address, he stood up, moved beside the podium, and bowed his head. President Yoon said, "My sincerity has always been with the people," but also admitted, "I caused concern to the public due to matters around me."

Considering the 'self-praise' controversy from the August press conference, where remarks on the four major reforms (healthcare, pension, labor, education) and government achievements were prominent, this time the focus was on clarifying suspicions surrounding First Lady Kim Geon-hee and Myung Tae-gyun. The plan was to overcome the crisis through an 'all-out press conference' style, answering all questions from reporters regardless of topic or field. Previously, President Yoon answered about 19 to 20 questions, but this time there was no limit on the number of questions. He even showed willingness by asking, "Is there anything else you are curious about?" after answering questions. The Chief of Staff, Policy Chief, National Security Office Chief, and all senior secretaries attended the press conference.

On the 7th, people are watching President Yoon Seok-yeol's nationwide address and press conference broadcast live on television in the waiting room of Seoul Station, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News.

However, regarding the personnel reshuffle demands made by Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, President Yoon conveyed that rather than implementing it immediately, it would be carried out over time. He explained, "While there are parts where we must consistently maintain a certain policy direction, I believe the way we work and communicate with the public must always change and be renewed. I am always considering finding the right people for the right positions." He added, "However, discovering, selecting, and verifying talent, and even if there are no issues in the verification process, when such personnel proposals are presented, we must consider how the public will receive them, so it is fundamentally difficult to do it quickly."

In particular, President Yoon said, "At the point of reaching the midpoint of my term, I can say that I have already begun scouting and verifying a talent pool to show a face of renewal through personnel changes at an appropriate time." He continued, "After the National Assembly budget is finalized, the budget for next year must be executed swiftly so that the public's livelihood can proceed smoothly. Also, considering the U.S. presidential election?although the (Trump) administration will likely take office in January, all frameworks are set within one or two months, so taking that into account, the timing is being considered somewhat flexibly."

Regarding demands for First Lady Kim Geon-hee to suspend her activities, President Yoon said, "It is not appropriate to politicize advice from my wife as if it were a state corruption issue," but also hinted at refraining from activities by saying, "If the public dislikes my wife's external activities, she should not do them." He also announced, "As of today, I have appointed a second secretary to the First Lady's Secretariat," and added, "The second secretary will soon recruit staff to work together."

Attention is focused on whether public opinion toward President Yoon will reverse after this press conference. In May, the presidential approval rating remained largely unchanged at 24% (Gallup Korea) before and after the press conference, and in August, it actually declined from 27% (4th week of August) to 23% (1st week of September). Inside the Presidential Office, there is hope that President Yoon's approval rating will rebound into the 20% range after the press conference. However, voices both inside and outside the office warn that if there is no public opinion recovery despite the press conference, managing the situation may become difficult.