Yoon: "If the National Assembly Recommends a Special Inspector, I Cannot Refuse Appointment"

"Close to Han, close to Yoon, changing from time to time... It will go well"

President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 7th, "If a special inspector is recommended by the National Assembly, the president cannot refuse to appoint them."

Officials from the Democratic Party of Korea are watching the live broadcast of President Yoon Suk-yeol's national address at the National Assembly on the 7th. Photo by Kim Hyun-min

At a press conference held at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the same day, President Yoon said, "The special inspector is a matter for the National Assembly, so it is not something to be debated." He added, "Whether to appoint a director of the North Korean Human Rights Foundation or not depends on the People Power Party and the Democratic Party of Korea reaching a certain consensus and recommending candidates, from which I will choose one."

The special inspector is responsible for investigating misconduct by individuals who have a special relationship with the president, such as relatives. The People Power Party and the government have maintained that the appointment of the special inspector should be linked to the appointment of directors of the North Korean Human Rights Foundation. Previously, Han Dong-hoon, leader of the People Power Party, argued that the special inspector should be appointed unconditionally amid worsening public opinion regarding First Lady Kim Geon-hee.

President Yoon also addressed the emerging conflict rumors between the pro-Han and pro-Yoon factions, including Leader Han.

President Yoon emphasized, "I am not sure if the pro-Han or pro-Yoon factions truly exist. Some people distinguish between them this way or that way, but those distinctions change from time to time." He added, "Such tendencies may appear, but after a while, there are different perspectives on other issues, and I do not view these matters so sensitively."

He continued, "We have not communicated well during the recent National Assembly audits," and said, "We plan to meet frequently and continue to do so." President Yoon remarked, "If there is friction within the organization, it would be good to exercise together or go hiking." He concluded, "I truly believe things will go well. Don’t we have many important tasks to accomplish now?"