Yoon pledges to focus on economy, reforms in second year

President Yoon Suk Yeol said that he will focus on tackling the economic crisis and supporting people's livelihood in his second year in office, asking for the support of the government and the People Power Party to speed along his reform plans.

President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, speaks at a luncheon at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul with People Power Party leaders and presidential aides, asking for their cooperation in carrying out state affairs as he marks the one-year anniversary of taking office Wednesday. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

President Yoon Suk Yeol said Wednesday that he will focus on tackling the economic crisis and supporting people's livelihood in his second year in office, asking for the support of the government and the People Power Party (PPP) to speed along his reform plans.

To commemorate one year since he took office, Yoon in the morning visited the Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak District, southern Seoul, accompanied by PPP leadership and presidential aides and held a luncheon with them afterward, presidential spokesman Lee Do-woon said in a press briefing.

"The past year has been a process of correcting the wrong direction of state affairs in a broader framework," Yoon was quoted by Lee as saying at the luncheon at the Yongsan presidential office in central Seoul. "It takes a lot of time and effort to rebuild what has been broken, but I am confident that Korea is moving in the right direction."

Yoon criticized the preceding Moon Jae-in administration, pinpointing "security based only on North Korea's goodwill" and "abnormal and anti-market real estate policies."

"In the second year, the focus will be on examining the crisis in the economy and people's livelihood," Yoon said, pledging to "put the economy at the center of diplomacy and overcome the complex crises with exports."

The president asked the government and the PPP to "swiftly push for reform tasks and produce results in the second year of my presidency," Lee said, comparing state affairs to riding a "boat slowly floating on the river."

He acknowledged that "the people have not had enough time to feel the changes and reforms over the past year" and promised in his second year to speed along the process "so that the people can directly feel the changes."

Yoon, during his visit to the national cemetery, wrote in the guest book at the cemetery, "Together with our great people, we will create a country of freedom and innovation, one that responsibly contributes to global peace and prosperity."

Yoon was accompanied by 46 people, including PPP leader Kim Gi-hyeon, floor leader Yun Jae-on, Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho and other presidential aides.

His luncheon with his party's leadership later that day marked the tenth time Yoon has officially met with PPP leaders since taking office on May 10, 2022.

Yoon also greeted a youth baseball team at the baseball field near the presidential office and offered words of encouragement to the elementary school players, Lee said.

Later in the afternoon, Yoon made a surprise visit to the press center at the presidential office.

"In the coming new year, I ask the media to accurately pinpoint when I am going in the wrong direction and guide our government with good points and accurate reports when you think we are going too fast or too slow," Yoon said to the press corps. "I am really grateful for the past year, and I hope that you will continue to help out in the future."

This comes around a week after an unannounced appearance at a luncheon for reporters and presidential staff on May 2 marking the opening of the Yongsan Children's Garden.

Yoon told reporters during this event that he was not interested in any anniversary activity merely for the sake of patting himself on the back.

In November, Yoon suspended his trademark daily doorstepping sessions, which were chances for journalists to ask questions to the president directly, despite his campaign pledge to be a more accessible president than his predecessors. This came after an MBC reporter and a presidential aide got into a verbal altercation at such a session.

Yoon likewise skipped out on a customary New Year's press conference and a one-year anniversary press conference.

When asked by a reporter Wednesday if he plans to resume doorstepping sessions or another means of better communicating with the press, Yoon replied, "I will make a great effort."

The presidential office in turn has been releasing a series of promotional videos on YouTube and social media this week to mark the anniversary.

The presidential office also unveiled a special website marking the one-year anniversary as a part of plans to expand online communication with the public.

A year into the Yoon administration, the PPP and the liberal Democratic Party (DP) continued to play the blame game, pointing fingers at each other over the series of challenges facing the country.

DP leader Lee said in a supreme council meeting held in Daegu on Wednesday that it is "very regrettable that we have no choice but to put criticism ahead of congratulations."

Lee said that the Yoon administration has enforced tax cuts for the rich and privileged regardless of the suffering of the people and unnecessarily incited neighboring countries, "bringing an economic and security crises upon itself."

He said that despite such difficulties in people's livelihood, "the president has blamed the previous government and the opposing party" noting that there is a "very high possibility that the failure of the past year will be repeated in the next four years of state affairs."

PPP leader Kim in turn said on his Facebook page the same day that the attitude of the DP over the past year was comparable to "keeping an athlete's hands and feet tied down," as the DP controls the National Assembly.

"In the past year, I clearly felt the limitations of being a minority party," Kim wrote, saying he felt "regret" that the PPP didn't have the power to block the DP's legislation.

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]