[Edaily Hwang Byeong Seo·Kim Sang-yoon Reporter] “He must go beyond mere explanations and demonstrate that he is changing.”
President Lee Jae-myung, whose approval rating has fallen to its lowest level since taking office, will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. on the 18th at the Blue House State Guest House. Political experts emphasized that this press conference should not be a one-off event aimed at boosting his approval rating or a forum for simply listing his administration’s achievements. They urge the President to apologize to the public and provide explanations regarding personnel failures and policy confusion, while also taking a clear stance on issues tied to his political interests, such as constitutional amendments for re-election and the dismissal of criminal charges. Regarding real estate and people’s livelihoods, they suggested that he must demonstrate a change in governance through concrete action plans and follow-up measures.

◇“You Must Set Aside Personal Interests to Show Sincerity”… Apologize for Personnel Failures
Kim Hyung-jun, a distinguished professor at Baejae University, assessed, “Although President Lee has held more press conferences than other presidents, they have left no lasting impression on the public after they ended,” adding, “Most were merely press conferences for the sake of holding them, and there was no ‘big, single message’ that the public would remember.” He went on to point out, “If the idea is to hold a press conference to try to reverse a drop in approval ratings, that mindset itself is a strategic blunder.”
Professor Kim emphasized that the core of this press conference should not be listing policies or clarifying existing controversies, but rather the President setting aside his own political interests. He said, “When evaluating a leader, the public looks not only at their ability to implement policies but also at their sincerity,” adding, “People only believe in a leader’s sincerity when that leader is willing to give up what is theirs.”
He went on to suggest that President Lee must make three clear promises. Professor Kim stated, “He must declare that he will not amend the Constitution to seek re-election, will not push for the dismissal of criminal charges, and will not wield the ruling party according to his own will,” adding, “It is useless to give a lengthy explanation of past mistakes. Through this press conference, the President must demonstrate that he is capable of changing and is, in fact, changing.”
Given the accumulation of multiple adverse factors, some pointed out that explanations, apologies, and promises must be clearly distinguished. Political commentator Lee Jong-hoon said, “He must explain what needs to be explained to the public, seek understanding where necessary, and apologize where appropriate,” adding, “In particular, the President needs to apologize to the public for the inadequate vetting of appointees revealed during the recent cabinet reshuffle.”
The commentator also cited the confusion surrounding real estate policy and the process of considering the dispatch of troops to the Strait of Hormuz as matters the President must personally address. He emphasized, “Given the controversy over real estate policy, the future direction must be presented more clearly,” adding, “If the government changed its stance after previously taking a negative view on the troop deployment, it must explain to the public what strategic considerations—such as U.S.-Korea relations or inter-Korean relations—were at play.”
Political commentator Choi Yo-han argued that President Lee must sincerely and persuasively explain why he has chosen to govern in a manner that transcends partisan divides. “It appears President Lee has not abandoned his commitment to reform but is seeking to strike a balance, taking into account historical lessons that an overly aggressive reform drive can rally opposition forces,” Choi said. “He must explain to the public why he is seeking an integrated solution centered on the national interest rather than the interests of the left or right.”
He added, “Given that various issues—such as personnel appointments, real estate, and foreign affairs and national security—have accumulated over a long period, it will be difficult to reverse his approval ratings all at once with a single press conference,” and noted, “The President must consistently explain the broad direction of his administration, build on small achievements, and continue to persuade the public.”

◇“Moderates Care About Livelihoods”… Focus on ‘Affordability’
However, some countered that simply addressing the issues of re-election and the dismissal of criminal charges would be insufficient to win back public support. They pointed out that, just as New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani placed “affordability” (alleviating the burden of living expenses) at the forefront of his campaign, the President must present clear solutions to the public’s livelihood concerns rather than getting bogged down in political controversies.
Choi Jin, president of the Presidential Leadership Research Institute, said, “The president must speak not about what he wants to say, but about what the people want to hear,” adding, “The press conference should be directed not at the opposition or the political sphere, but at the people—especially the moderate voters.”
President Choi pointed out, “What the moderate voters are actually curious about is not constitutional amendments or judicial issues, but how internal conflicts within the ruling party will be resolved and by when real estate and livelihood issues will be addressed,” adding, “It is a misconception to think that approval ratings will rebound simply by answering questions about constitutional amendments or the dismissal of indictments.” He explained that since political controversy is inevitable regardless of the answers provided, the press conference must prioritize livelihood issues and the administration’s achievements.
He said, “The President must be honest with the public about the difficulties encountered in implementing policies and present specific goals outlining what will be accomplished and by when,” adding, “Starting the day after the press conference, the President must demonstrate through words, actions, and results that he is fully committed to people’s livelihoods—for example, by convening meetings with relevant ministries to roll out follow-up measures.”
Political commentator Park Sang-byeong also cited real estate and people’s livelihoods as the top priorities. “The real estate issue is no longer at the stage of further discussion or merely announcing plans—it is a matter that requires immediate action,” Park said. “Since President Lee’s strength has been his drive to take action rather than merely engage in debate, he must present concrete measures.”
He continued, “The cost of living is rising sharply, and income inequality is deepening,” adding, “It is not enough to simply explain that external conditions are difficult; the President must personally provide answers on how to improve the lives of the people.” Regarding the loss of support from progressive voters, he emphasized, “There is a sense of betrayal that the current administration has backtracked on its reform agenda,” and stressed, “Even while pursuing national unity, the administration must clearly state which principles of state governance will remain unwavering.”