Pres. Yoon addresses the nation at a press conference

President Yoon Suk Yeol apologized to the nation for a series of controversies surrounding him, saying, “It is all my fault and all of this is due to my lack of discretion. I would like to apologize to the public with sincerity.” He stood up to make a deep vow with his apologetic remarks. Asked to elaborate on what he acknowledges and feels sorry about, he replied, “I find it hard to specify what it is,” adding, “I am offering my apologies for engaging in misbehavior and leading to the failure of following protocols for communication concerning me and my wife.”

President Yoon stated during an address to the nation at a press conference on Wednesday at the Yongsan Presidential Office that he did not do any inappropriate act and there is nothing to hide regarding allegations concerning Myung Tae-kyun. However, he did not explain clearly about having been recorded as saying in a phone conversation, “I asked to recommend Kim Young-sun.” Opposition parties argued that it demonstrated that President Yoon and First Lady Kim tried to intervene in the candidate selection process. Although the president explained that he did not ask Myung to carry out an off-the-record public survey, he did not clarify if he got briefed on any results.

He dismissed claims about the first lady’s interventions in governance, saying, “The so-called ‘Kim Keon Hee line’ sounds significantly negative, adding, “It goes against the country’s political culture that first-lady advice is disparaged as an attempt to manipulate government affairs. My wife has been demonized with me being targeted.” He also described opposition parties’ demand for a special probe into allegations involving First Lady Kim as an act of political agenda rather than an application of justice. He went on to criticize that launching such a special interrogation infringes on the human rights of not only the first lady but also everyone else.

He spent 15 minutes on the public address and told the press for 125 minutes. Having said that, he did not give detailed explanations but denied and rebutted claims about allegations of interventions in public nomination involving his wife and Myung. A reporter said at the press conference that citizens may get confused over whether he apologized for what is not significant enough to deserve a public apology so he could calm down public anger, asking him to specify what he apologized for. In response, he said, “I will say sorry and make things correct once you elaborate where my apologies are thought to be required,” adding, “There are many things people believe that are not actually true.”

Pro-Han Dong-hoon members of the ruling People Power Party criticized the president for wasting the address on praising himself rather than making an expected apology. At the same time, pro-Yoon leaders commended his remarks as candid and humble. Some pro-Han politicians even argued that there was little progress in the five things Han demanded, bringing up the possibility of growing demands for a “third-party appointed” special probe team for First Lady Kim. Meanwhile, the main opposition Democratic Party bashed the presidential address as loaded with lies and excuses, saying, “He ended up letting down citizens and choosing his wife.”


Hyung-Jun Hwang constant25@donga.com