[Edaily Kim Sang-yoon Reporter Hwang Byung-seo] “The people are always right. It is all due to my shortcomings.”
President Lee Jae-myung struck a deeply humble tone during his seventh press conference since taking office on the 18th. He took responsibility for the public’s growing disaffection and the decline in his approval ratings following the local elections, pledging to strengthen communication and empathy, areas where he had previously fallen short. However, he made it clear that he would not change the direction of key national policy initiatives, such as prosecutorial reform and real estate policy. The message is that he intends to restore public trust by altering the implementation process and communication methods rather than shifting the policy course itself.
In particular, President Lee stated, “I have not been able to respond more proactively to the question: ‘Economic indicators are improving, so why hasn’t my life changed—or rather, why is it getting worse?’” He added, “I will focus more on improving people’s livelihoods as much as on recovery and growth.” This was a direct acknowledgment that the achievements in macroeconomic indicators, such as economic recovery, have not sufficiently translated into tangible improvements in the lives of ordinary citizens.
However, regarding pressing economic issues such as real estate and monthly rent and lease deposits, the focus was on reaffirming existing policy directions and principles rather than proposing new policy measures. To restore his approval ratings, the key challenge will be linking his declaration to place people’s livelihoods at the center of state affairs with policies and results that the public can tangibly feel.

◇“It’s all my shortcomings”… Reforms continue despite a humble stance
Speaking at the Blue House State Guest House that day, President Lee said, “In the face of modest achievements and the tremendous support shown by the people, my sense of fear and humility has diminished,” adding, “I will rekindle my fear of the people and approach everything with greater care, humility, and intensity.”
He did not attribute the shift in public sentiment to external factors. When asked about the reasons for his declining approval ratings, President Lee said, “I have lacked consideration, sensitivity, and communication,” adding that there had been instances where he had tried to turn a blind eye to the pain and backlash of those harmed by his policies. He also remarked, “Perhaps I lacked a bit of respect for the people.”
However, this did not mean he intended to revise his policy course. President Lee emphasized, “We fell short in the process and methods, but the direction we are heading has not changed.”
He also explained in detail his thoughts on the approach to pushing forward with reforms. He noted that resistance from groups harmed by reforms is “as strong as concrete,” while support from the majority who benefit is like “scattered grains of sand,” adding that if one prioritizes a clear-cut stance and thereby fuels resistance, the pace of reform could slow down or the reform itself could fail. Referring to the healthcare reforms of the previous Yoon Suk-yeol administration, he stated that he would not repeat reforms that made a lot of noise but left only social turmoil in their wake. He explained that he focused on an approach that minimizes backlash while delivering tangible results.
Regarding prosecutorial reform, he reaffirmed the principle of separating investigation from prosecution. He pledged to establish an irreversible system to prevent prosecutors from re-engaging in investigations and stated that concerns over the concentration of investigative authority in the police would be addressed through rigorous police reform and mutual checks and balances.

◇“I have absolutely no intention of seeking re-election”…Standing firm amid controversy over the dismissal of charges
President Lee devoted considerable time to personally addressing ongoing controversies surrounding high-stakes political issues. While actively raising the need for constitutional amendment, he clearly ruled out the possibility of his own re-election; and while stating that a “special prosecutor to investigate fabricated indictments” is necessary, he drew a clear line regarding the issue of dropping charges—a matter that has sparked controversy due to its overlap with his own trial.
President Lee reaffirmed the need for constitutional reform, describing the current 1987 Constitution as “a suit that no longer fits today’s Republic of Korea.” He proposed the following as objectives for constitutional amendment: incorporating the spirit of the May 18 Democratization Movement and the Busan-Masan Uprising into the preamble; strengthening fundamental rights; decentralizing presidential powers to the National Assembly and local governments; and introducing a system allowing for presidential re-election. However, he emphasized that the National Assembly and the people—not the President—are the driving forces behind constitutional amendment, and stated that he would actively cooperate once the National Assembly completes consultations and gathers opinions from both ruling and opposition parties.
He drew an even firmer line regarding the possibility of his own re-election. President Lee stated that his re-election through constitutional amendment is constitutionally impossible and that he “has never even considered running for a second term.” He explained that his previous refusal to issue a separate declaration ruling out a second term stemmed from his judgment that making such a promise could make it appear as though he had initially considered a second term but later abandoned the idea. He added, “Nevertheless, I would like to take this opportunity to state once again with absolute certainty: I have absolutely no intention of seeking a second term.”
President Lee also laid out both principles and boundaries regarding the special counsel investigation into allegations of fabricated indictments. He raised suspicions that the previous administration had conducted unreasonable investigations and indictments for political purposes, arguing that not only himself but also journalists, media outlets, civil servants, politicians, and civilians had suffered as a result. He also stated that since investigations by law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies under the President’s authority could give rise to further misunderstandings, the National Assembly must uncover the truth through a special counsel.
However, he opposed granting the special counsel the authority to take over and dispose of cases that have already been indicted. President Lee directly requested that the National Assembly “delete the provisions regarding the transfer or disposition of existing indicted cases” from the special counsel’s authority. The intent is for the special counsel to focus on uncovering the truth behind the allegations of fabricated indictments, while leaving the handling of existing trials to the law and established principles based on the investigation’s findings. This is interpreted as an attempt to quell controversy that the special counsel could serve as a conduit for the dismissal of charges in his own case.
He also drew a clear line regarding the issue of deploying troops to the Strait of Hormuz, as requested by U.S. President Donald Trump. President Lee reiterated the principle of non-involvement and non-intervention in war, stating, “There will be no troop deployment that involves or intervenes in war.” However, he noted that minimal activities are necessary to protect South Korean merchant ships, oil transport routes, and the safety of citizens, and revealed that the government is considering measures to strengthen the role of the Cheonghae Unit, which is already operating in the region. He made it clear that while the protection of citizens and transport routes will be considered, South Korea will not intervene in the war.

◇“Greater Focus on People’s Livelihoods”…Solutions to Economic Issues Remain Vague
He signaled a slight shift in the policy’s center of gravity. Regarding the appointment of the next Chief of Staff for Policy, President Lee noted that during the first year of his administration, the nation’s resources were concentrated on economic recovery, sustainable growth, and securing growth engines. He added, “There are suggestions that we should slightly shift the focus of our policies toward strengthening social policies, which are currently perceived as severely lacking.”
However, despite placing people’s livelihoods at the forefront of state affairs, no clear new concrete measures for resolving pressing economic issues were presented during the press conference. On real estate—the most pressing issue—he reaffirmed the existing policy of expanding supply while curbing demand through measures such as loan restrictions, regulations, and tax policies, and presented the resolution of the Seoul metropolitan area’s monopolistic structure and the completion of Sejong as the administrative capital as fundamental solutions. President Lee expressed strong confidence in stabilizing the market, stating, “Everyone else tried and failed, but this administration will succeed,” but did not specifically mention any additional measures aimed at addressing immediate market instability.
Regarding jeonse and monthly rent—which are particularly problematic—he stated, “We have prepared and are implementing detailed policies of our own to address the difficulties faced by tenants under these systems,” but did not explain what specific measures are being implemented. In response to subsequent questions, he merely clarified that his past remarks were not meant to suggest that jeonse “should disappear,” but rather that it “will disappear.” Given that the burden of both home purchases and jeonse and monthly rent is directly linked to people’s livelihoods, the government should have specifically demonstrated the content and effectiveness of the policies it is implementing; however, it failed to present a clear solution.
President Lee also disclosed that negotiations on a $350 billion strategic investment deal with the U.S. had hit another snag at the last minute, but he did not propose a concrete solution to resolve the issue.
Regarding the proposal prepared by the working-level negotiation team, President Lee stated, “They say an agreement is almost reached, but when I looked at the details, there were some parts I found difficult to agree to, so we are discussing them again.” He personally explained that the key issues are how to recoup the investment, how to distribute profits, and how to handle projects that incur losses.
He maintained his principled stance on the U.S. investment negotiations. He intends to ensure that the principle of “commercial rationality”—which was painstakingly incorporated into the MOU last November—is applied to actual projects as well, and to structure the ventures so that “the national interests of the Republic of Korea are not compromised and the arrangements benefit both South Korea and the United States.” However, he did not provide specific answers regarding the extent of the loss burden South Korea can bear, the scope of profit-sharing conditions, the structure for resolving disagreements with the U.S., or when the first project announcement might be made.
Regarding additional investment in memory semiconductors, the government stated its principle of reaching a “reasonable conclusion” by taking into account corporate management decisions, domestic industrial strategy, and the national interest. However, it noted that how to coordinate expanded investment in the U.S. with the expansion of South Korea’s domestic semiconductor production base “remains a point of contention.”