Yoon vows to align domestic policies with global standards

President Yoon Suk Yeol said Friday he will communicate more with the public and ensure domestic policies are in line with global standards to push forward key agendas during the remainder of his term.

Yoon made the remark during a dinner with reporters on the lawn in front of the presidential office in Seoul.

“Our government aims to become a global pivotal state. We are making efforts to align domestic policies with global standards,” Yoon told reporters, without going into details.

“As our economy heavily relies on exports, we are seeking to expand cooperation with trade partners and nations that share value and interests. The well-being of our citizens and the future of our country depend on it,” he added.

During the rare dinner meeting that served barbecue and his signature menu — kimchi soup and egg rolls — Yoon pledged to make efforts to actively communicate with the public and press in his remaining three years in office, marking a notable shift in his style.

It comes two weeks after Yoon had a live press conference to mark the second anniversary of his presidency, the first since August 2022.

Yoon is in his third year in office amid mixed assessments of his foreign and domestic policies but a clear need to win back public support after a resounding defeat in the April general elections, seen as a midterm referendum on him.

Following the crushing defeat, Yoon acknowledged the need to reset his running of state affairs and vowed to communicate more with the opposition parties, holding his first meeting with Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung since taking office in May 2022.

The meeting came against a backdrop of consistently low approval ratings for Yoon over negative assessments of his economic policies and lack of communication, among others.

A survey, conducted by polling agency Realmeter on 1,001 adults from May 21-23, showed Yoon’s approval rating at 24 percent, remaining in the 20 percent range for over a month.