Anchor: President Yoon Suk Yeol held a news conference to mark nearly two-and-a-half years in office. After apologizing for “causing concerns” regarding allegations that first lady Kim Keon-hee interfered in party politics, Yoon laid out his plans for the remainder of term in office, including how he intends to work with the incoming Trump administration in the U.S. and handle pressing issues such as Ukraine and North Korea. 
In the first of two reports, our Kim Bum-soo discusses Yoon’s comments on domestic issues.   

Report: 

[Sound bite: Presidential Address (Nov. 7)]

Bowing his head in front of live TV cameras, President Yoon Suk Yeol apologized to the South Korean people over controversies surrounding first lady Kim Keon-hee. 

Days away from marking the midpoint of his five-year term in office, Yoon held a news conference on Thursday, addressing various public concerns facing his presidency.

[Sound bite: President Yoon Suk Yeol (Korean-English)] 06:23  
“ ... I have caused concerns to the people over issues surrounding those close to me. I believe the position of president is not a place to make excuses. All of this is due to my own shortcomings and lack of virtue. I would like to extend my heartfelt apologies to the public ... ”  

The president and the first lady are suspected to have wielded undue influence in the ruling party candidate nomination process before elections, allegedly maintaining close ties with a power broker. 

[Sound bite: President Yoon Suk Yeol (Korean-English)] 29:30 
“Regarding Mr. Myung Tae-kyun, I have not done anything inappropriate and I have nothing to hide.”

Suspicions surrounding the first lady’s involvement in politics have further pushed Yoon’s approval ratings to their lowest levels. 

[Sound bite: President Yoon Suk Yeol (Korean-English)] 41:34
“Presidents’ wives help their husbands get elected and do things, hoping to help their husbands to smoothly manage state affairs, without being cursed at. If that is called ‘meddling in state affairs,’ I think the Korean dictionary should be fixed ... ”  

Yoon acknowledged that his wife may be “naive” at times, but argued that she has been "demonized" by those who made her a target of political attacks. 

He also condemned the main opposition Democratic Party’s attempts to unilaterally push through a special counsel investigation targeting the first lady, saying this would be unconstitutional if the ruling party does not consent. 

For the remainder of his term, Yoon said his government will focus on reducing excessive competition in South Korean society and improve quality of life in regions outside the capital, ultimately increasing the birth rate. 

Yoon also pledged to complete his signature medical, pension, labor and education reform campaigns. 

To do that, he called for unity. 

But it remains to be seen whether this 140-minute news conference will sway public sentiment in his favor to make that possible. 
Kim Bum-soo, KBS World Radio News.