Pres. Moon to hold 100-minute online press conference

South Korean President Moon Jae-in will hold the first online press conference in line with social distancing rules where he will announce policy directions.

Under the theme of “South Korea, a nation that stays strong in times of crisis,” President Moon will answer questions from journalists about COVID-19 measures and social issues, politics and the economy and foreign relations and security at 10 a.m. on Monday.

It is also the first news conference held at Chunchugwan. The event will be held online for 100 minuets with only 20 journalists allowed at the event and 100 attending remotely. Screens will be installed on the left, right and front of the president to show journalists in real time.

The presidential office has made sure to prevent any potential issues by having a rehearsal on Sunday and checking the Internet connection. It is said that, in preparation for the live event, President Moon himself cleared his Sunday schedule to go over his answers thoroughly. “Four rehearsals are scheduled before the press conference on Monday,” said a source from the presidential office.

There will be an 88-minute Q&A session where President Moon will receive questions from journalists attending on and offline. The last three questions will be selected from the comment section where journalists who were not invited to the briefing can leave their questions. “Protocol Chief Tak Hyeon-min and relevant departments such as the government communications team have been working tirelessly for about a month to organize the very first online press briefing,” said a source from the presidential office.

The presidential office expects amnesties for former Presidents Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye and roadmaps for new housing policies will be discussed, especially as President Moon made a public apology for soaring housing prices in his New Year’s speech last Monday.


Hyung-Jun Hwang constant25@donga.com