SEOUL — South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol conceded on Thursday (May 9) that his ruling party's crushing election defeat last month reflected the government's failure to improve people's lives, and apologised for a scandal involving his wife.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol attends a press conference marking two years in office, at the Presidential Office in Seoul, South Korea, May 9, 2024.SEOUL — South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol conceded on Thursday that his ruling party's crushing election defeat last month reflected the government's failure to improve people's lives, and apologised for a scandal involving his wife.
South Korea's economy beat most forecasts to grow 1.3 per cent in the first three months of this year, though living costs have remained stubbornly high despite some progress in tackling inflation. "I think it reflects the public's evaluation that my administration's work is far short of what is needed," Yoon said when asked about his party's election defeat.His comments included the first explicit apology for the controversy surrounding his wife. The issue is likely to weigh heavily on his attempts to win co-operation from the opposition-controlled parliament on policy priorities.
He said it reaffirmed that the president had "neither the heart nor the will to protect the lives of the people". He said South Korea would maintain its stance to not supply lethal weapons to any country in active conflict, when asked if Seoul would consider helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia.
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