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A presidential sense still detached from reality

Published: 29 Aug. 2024, 20:15

President Yoon Suk Yeol clarified his position on various issues in a briefing and the following Q&A session on Thursday. His face-to-face meeting with the press corps just three months after his last press conference on May 9 reflects his hope for addressing persistent criticism for his lack of communication with the public. But this time, the president’s perception of the current situation was detached from reality again.

After a journalist asked about the ongoing medical crisis, the president advised the reporter to visit hospitals, pointing to “the smooth operation of emergency rooms.” But reality points in the opposite direction. A father of a lawmaker died while looking for emergency doctors who can treat him. The struggling medical system will face a bigger crisis during the Chuseok holidays in September.

Over the opposition Democratic Party (DP) demanding a special investigation into the tragic death of a Marine last year, the president nonchalantly brushed off suspicions about the presidential office’s intervention in the police’s investigation of the case. But how much the presidential office stepped in the investigation still remains unclear.

Yoon’s answer to questions about the strange way the prosecution summoned the first lady for questioning over her acceptance of a luxury handbag from a mysterious pastor was not convincing, either. The first lady was summoned to a separate room outside the prosecution. But the president said, “As a prosecutor, I also went to a former first lady’s home to investigate her [over corruption].” It could have been better if the president had paid attention to the public sentiment.

Yoon’s attitude toward the opposition was no different. When asked if he would meet with DP leader Lee Jae-myung in the near future, the president said he would have met him earlier to solve the political deadlock if the two major parties had closely cooperated and communicated with one another. The president also indirectly complained about the opposition repeatedly holding hearings to impeach him.

When the president had the last press conference three months ago, he was criticized for not changing at all. This time, he adhered to his previous position more solidly. A leader must have the wisdom to humbly accept criticism.

In Thursday’s press conference, the president explained about the detailed direction of his national pension reform, including a system to ensure an automatic stabilization of the pension. It went beyond the level of simply adjusting the premium rate and the income replacement rate. But the reform will not be easy. We hope the government and the two parties find an effective solution to the pension reform as soon as possible.