President Lee Jae-myung will hold a press conference on the 18th to address key national issues, including personnel controversies, constitutional reforms, and contributions to the Strait of Hormuz. With recent declines in public support and internal conflicts over reform directions within the ruling party, attention is focused on what measures and governance plans President Lee will propose.
The press conference will take place at 10:30 a.m. at the Blue House's guesthouse, marking President Lee's seventh since taking office. Approximately 150 domestic and foreign journalists are expected to attend, with questions divided into two categories: politics and diplomacy, and policy and economy.
The event, themed "The Will of the People, The Lives of the People, We Will Pay More Attention," is scheduled to last about 90 minutes. It will consist of an opening statement from President Lee, a Q&A session, and concluding remarks, without a specific agenda. The official title of the event is simply "Press Conference of President Lee Jae-myung."
Seong Gi-hong, the chief of public relations and communication at the Blue House, announced the conference plans, stating, "We will clearly communicate our stance and direction on key issues to the public."
The most pressing concern is President Lee's stance on the recent personnel controversies. Following the resignation of candidate for Minister of Gender Equality and Family, Yong Hye-in, just 14 days after her nomination, and ongoing discussions surrounding candidate for Minister of Justice, Kim Seung-won, the Blue House's personnel verification system has come under scrutiny. There is keen interest in whether President Lee will express regret over personnel accountability or propose institutional improvements.
Questions regarding the proposed constitutional amendment for term limits and the so-called cancellation of indictments are also expected to be focal points. During a visit to France on September 9, President Lee stated, "My term is clearly limited by the Constitution," but the opposition is demanding a more definitive response regarding the push for term limit amendments. Observers are also watching for his stance on the conflict between the Blue House and the judiciary, particularly regarding the request for a re-nomination of Supreme Court candidates.
The approach to reforms and internal conflicts within the ruling party are also major issues. Recently, President Lee posted on X (formerly Twitter), stating, "The biggest obstacle to reform is the obstruction of reform in the name of reform." This has been interpreted as a caution against the potential backlash from hasty reforms or competitive clarity.
As a result, President Lee is expected to reaffirm his commitment to reform while outlining plans to achieve results based on public consensus and persuasion. He may also directly address concerns raised by some progressive factions regarding perceived setbacks in reform related to the establishment of the Public Prosecution Service and the appointment of the head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Unit.
In the realm of foreign affairs and security, the government's contributions to stabilizing the Strait of Hormuz will be a key topic. As the government considers various support methods, including military contributions, there is interest in President Lee's judgment regarding deployment, scope of activities, and the necessity of parliamentary consent. Issues related to real estate supply and single-item leveraged exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are also expected to be discussed during the conference.
President Lee has previously engaged with the media during press conferences held one month and 100 days after his inauguration, a foreign press conference marking one year of emergency martial law, as well as this year's New Year and one-year anniversary press conferences, and briefings on the outcomes of his European tour.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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