President Yoon Suk-yeol apologized to the people, saying that he was sorry for the concerns caused by his wife’s unwise behavior.
On May.9, during a press conference held at the Presidential Office in Yongsan, Seoul, on the second anniversary of his inauguration, President Yoon commented on the prosecution’s full-scale investigation into allegations regarding the First Lady, Kim Keon-hee’s acceptance of luxury bags. He said, “I believe they will conduct the investigation fairly and strictly.”
This is the first time President Yoon has apologized regarding this issue since the controversy erupted in Nov. 2023, when a YouTube channel released a hidden camera video of First Lady Kim receiving a luxury bag from a pastor with pro-North Korea sympathies.
During his opening speech at the press conference, President Yoon expressed his deep regret over the ongoing economic difficulties. He stated that even though spring has arrived, the hardships of people’s lives are still not easily resolved. This weighs heavily on his heart, and he feels sorry about it.
The President also acknowledged that the government’s measures to address high inflation and other economic issues have not met the expectations of the citizens.
When asked about the reasons behind the ruling party’s defeat in the 22nd general election, he noted, “No matter how much effort was put into improving the people’s lives, the change felt by the citizens was significantly lacking.”
On the other hand, when the Democratic Party demanded a special investigation into the First Lady, Kim, President Yoon pointed out that the prosecution had already conducted investigations during the previous Moon Jae-in administration for two and a half years. He criticized the demand for another special investigation, stating that it was a political attack and an act that had political intentions behind.
In reference to the ‘Marine Corps incident’ that occurred in July 2023, he stated, “If the public deems the investigation findings by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) and the police unsatisfactory, I will suggest a special investigation be conducted.”
It appears that the President plans to use his veto power to reject the Marine Corps special investigation law that was passed by the opposition in the National Assembly. However, he is willing to consider a separate investigation if there are still suspicions after the results of the initial investigation are released.
Marine Corps incident involves Marine L. Cpl. Chae Su-geun, who went missing in the Naeseong stream rapids located in Yecheon County, which is 161 kilometers southeast of Seoul. Chae was deployed for search operations and went missing just one day later.
According to the armed service, rescue authorities found his body late at night, approximately 5.8 kilometers downstream from where he had first disappeared. Public criticism emerged as members of the troops mobilized for the operations at the stream were searching for victims without wearing life vests.
Also, President Yoon expressed his concern about the low birth rates in the country. He described it as an issue that is almost equivalent to a national emergency and announced that the government is planning to establish a new ministry to deal with low birth rates. The minister will also serve as the Deputy Prime Minister and will oversee education, labor, and welfare to devise strategies to overcome the current crisis.
