hankyoreh

President Yoon Suk-yeol gives a policy briefing and press conference at the presidential office’s briefing room in Seoul on Aug. 29, 2024. (pool photo)

In a policy briefing and press conference Thursday, Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol reiterated that he intends to push ahead with signature policy initiatives, including plans to raise caps on medical school admissions, despite the fears and confusion caused by pushback from special interest groups. “Reforms always provoke resistance,” Yoon remarked during the briefing. 

In regard to ongoing controversies over alleged meddling in the Marine Corps’ investigation into a corporal’s death during flood rescue efforts and an investigation into a name-brand handbag accepted by his wife, Kim Keon-hee, Yoon also made clear he views the two issues as political hit jobs with no substance.

“I don’t take the easy path,” Yoon remarked during the press conference. “I’m committed to carrying out my four reform initiatives, just as I promised the public. I firmly believe that’s the way to carry out the mission given to me by the public.”

Yoon devoted 40 minutes of the policy briefing to touting his signature achievements in such areas as the economy, foreign policy and social issues.

“I promised rapid growth in my inaugural address, and I’ve done my best so far to achieve that,” Yoon said, while spending considerable time listing the various efforts he’s made during his time in office.

“These efforts are bearing fruit in the form of economic growth. The world is focusing on Korea’s competitiveness and our growth momentum,” he said.

Yoon maintained that attitude in the press conference that followed. When reporters mentioned concerns about the disruption of medical services, Yoon responded that “the emergency care system is operating smoothly.”

“As long as we have the solid backing of the public, I think it’s possible to keep the emergency care system running until such time as the doctors return to work,” he said.

Yoon’s view, in other words, is that there’s no reason to worry about the state of medical care and that disruptions in medical care will be normalized as long as Koreans trust the government.

Yoon also downplayed his conflict with the ruling People Power Party, following his rejection of PPP leader Han Dong-hoon’s proposal to defer expanded admissions at medical schools until 2026. “There are absolutely no issues between the party and the government. It’s only natural for various opinions to be raised about various issues in a liberal democracy.”

A special probe into alleged government meddling in the Marine Corps’ investigation is regarded as necessary not only by the political opposition but even by some members of his own party, including Han himself. But Yoon remains critical of the idea, claiming that a National Assembly hearing has already shown the meddling allegations are baseless.

When asked about the idea that Kim Keon-hee, his wife, received special treatment when prosecutors visited her residence to question her about the name-brand handbag scandal, Yoon suggested the prosecutors’ visit was no big deal. “Back when I was a prosecutor, I also visited the home of a former president’s wife for questioning,” he remarked.

Yoon also saw nothing wrong with his much-criticized appointments of Kim Hyoung-suk as president of the Independence Hall of Korea and Kim Moon-soo as minister of employment and labor. “There are two things this administration looks at when making appointments: loyalty to the state and ability to do the job,” he said.

Yoon spent a large portion of his policy briefing discussing his plans for carrying out his “four plus one” reform initiatives, which cover the areas of national pension, medical care, education, labor and responding to Korea’s historically low birth rate.

In regard to pension reform, Yoon reiterated plans to codify the state’s responsibility to pay national pension, raise pension contributions at a higher rate for older people than younger people and bump up the basic old-age pension from 300,000 won to 400,000 before he leaves office.

“[Yoon] didn’t make a single mention of public pain and concern about people’s livelihoods and the medical debacle. Our country’s fiscal state, welfare programs, foreign policy and national security are all a shambles, and you get the strong impression that the president is living by himself in some other country,” remarked Jo Seoung-lae, the chief spokesperson for the Democratic Party, after Yoon’s policy briefing.

“We’ll do our best to achieve the ‘four plus one’ reforms in partnership with the administration. We also ask the opposition party to lend a hand,” said Han Ji-ah, senior spokesperson for the PPP.

By Lee Seung-jun, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]