President Lee Jae-myung's approach to 'communication politics' is set to be tested again. Following the withdrawal of candidate Yong Hye-in for the Minister of Gender Equality and Family, the responsibility of the Blue House in personnel appointments has come under scrutiny. There is a growing demand for the president to address key issues such as the retreat from reforms, the deployment to the Hormuz Strait, and the controversy over constitutional amendments regarding term extensions. Attention is focused on whether President Lee can restore trust by directly communicating his commitment to reform and the direction of governance around the Chuseok holiday.
On the morning of September 13, Yong held a press conference at the National Assembly, announcing her resignation from the ministerial candidacy. The Blue House, through Chief Spokesperson Kang Yu-jeong, stated, "We respect the candidate's decision and will ensure thorough verification and appointments that meet the expectations of the public." While the resignation is framed as voluntary, it is seen as a response to demands from the ruling party, making the issue of accountability for personnel appointments and verification unavoidable.
Amid the rising accountability concerns, the Blue House is considering ways for the president to communicate directly with the public. With the inability of individual explanations from candidates or aides to alleviate distrust surrounding appointments and policies, there is an increasing need for the president to clarify the rationale behind decisions and future responses.
The possibility of public communication has already been mentioned several times by Blue House officials. Chief of Staff Hong Ik-pyo noted on September 8 that the president is likely to express clearer intentions regarding the term extension issue through direct communication with the public. Chief of Public Communication Seong Gi-hong has also referred to various formats for public engagement.
Consequently, there are speculations that President Lee may hold a press conference or meeting around Chuseok after completing his schedule for the Korea-Central Asia summit by September 16. Some suggest a press briefing could occur shortly after the summit on September 17 or 18.
If direct communication takes place, President Lee is expected to focus on restoring trust in governance shaken by the personnel controversy and explaining the direction of reform efforts. He may reaffirm his commitment to reform while emphasizing the need for public understanding and persuasion, aiming to dispel concerns about a retreat from reform within progressive circles.
Previously, President Lee posted on his X account, stating, "The biggest obstacle to reform is the obstruction of reform in the name of reform." He highlighted the necessity of reform while cautioning against excessive speed and competition for clarity that could provoke backlash against reform.
This statement is interpreted as a response to the backlash from progressive circles regarding the proposed structure of the Public Prosecution Service and the appointment of candidates for the head of the Serious Crimes Investigation Unit. It clarifies that the approach is not about abandoning reform but rather about broadening consensus and reducing resistance to achieve results.
The decline in approval ratings also underscores the urgency for direct communication. According to a survey released by Gallup Korea on September 11, 51% of respondents expressed disapproval of President Lee's governance. The main reasons cited for disapproval were issues related to real estate policies and personnel matters. There is a high likelihood that he will engage in specific communication regarding political issues such as the term extension debate and the Hormuz deployment, as merely reaffirming his commitment to reform or addressing individual controversies may not be sufficient to sway public sentiment.
The cited opinion poll was conducted via telephone interviews with a random sample of 1,000 individuals aged 18 and older from September 8 to 10. The margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points at a 95% confidence level, with a contact rate of 46.7% and a response rate of 9.4%. More details can be found on the website of the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.
Um Gi-hong, a professor at Kyungpook National University, noted, "Recent opinion polls indicate a clear trend of declining approval ratings for the president's governance and the ruling party, marking a significant departure from the existing support base. However, it appears that these individuals are not immediately shifting their support to the opposition but are instead showing signs of withholding their support."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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