Yoon to hold press conference this week to mark 2nd anniversary of presidency

President Yoon Suk Yeol will hold a press conference this week in time for the second anniversary of his inauguration, his office said Monday, marking the first such session in 21 months.

The press conference will take place at the presidential office at 10 a.m. Thursday, a day before the two-year anniversary, according to presidential spokesperson Kim Soo-kyung.

Yoon will first explain his policy direction and situation over the past two years as well as his plans for the remainder of his five-year term in a video statement before holding the press conference to take questions, she said.

It marks Yoon’s first press conference since August 2022, which took place on the occasion of his 100th day in office. Earlier this year, Yoon did an interview with local broadcaster KBS, skipping a press conference to mark the start of the new year.

“Considering the criticism regarding the president’s communication style, there will be changes,” a presidential official told Yonhap News Agency by phone. “There are plans to increase public communication activities, including expanding interaction with the media and on-site visits.”

The press conference comes after the ruling People Power Party suffered a crushing defeat in last month’s parliamentary elections, with the opposition bloc, led by the main opposition Democratic Party (DP), winning 192 seats in the 300-member National Assembly.

Since the defeat, Yoon has expressed a willingness to engage more with the opposition, holding his first-ever talks with DP leader Lee Jae-myung last Monday.

At the press conference, Yoon is expected to touch on a range of issues, including a bill railroaded by the DP mandating a special counsel investigation into the military’s response to a Marine’s death last year.

The presidential office has expressed “great regret” over the bill, saying it exploits the death for political purposes.