In a public address on Thursday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol apologized, stating, “While my wife may feel unjustly treated, I feel even more regretful for the concern caused to the public.” He said, “I apologize for the inappropriate conduct of both myself and my wife.”
During a press conference at the presidential office in Yongsan, Yoon was asked to clarify the meaning behind his public apology. He explained, “The reason for causing concern among the public is our improper conduct in various aspects. I am saying this to assure the public that I will be more careful to prevent such incidents from happening again.”
Yoon also revealed that his wife, First Lady Kim Keon Hee, had advised him to properly apologize to the public during his address and the subsequent press conference.
He shared that when the press conference news was announced on Monday evening, he returned home to find his wife, suggesting, “Apologize properly. Don’t just focus on your achievements at the midpoint of your term—make sure to apologize more.”
Adding a touch of humor, Yoon quipped, “This might count as involvement in national affairs, but I don’t think it qualifies as national interference, right?”
The president also acknowledged the challenges his wife has faced due to what she believes are false claims, saying, “While my wife may feel unjustly demonized by deliberate misinformation and exaggerated news, her greater concern is for the public and the fact that we caused distress and anxiety among the people. I feel far more regretful about that.”
When asked to specify the exact issues for which his apology was directed, Yoon responded, “It’s difficult to pinpoint the specific matters to apologize for, as there are so many things involved. For example, some of the content related to Mr. Maeng Tae Kyun is inaccurate, and I cannot acknowledge it as it is a form of defamation. That is not something I can apologize for.”
Yoon continued, “There are many inaccurate issues, but I can’t get into disputes over facts during a press conference as president. At the same time, I can’t say everything being reported is correct either.” He added, “If I were to address specific issues, I would apologize for what is wrong, but for things that are not true, I would simply state that they are incorrect.”
The president said, “There is a lot of misinformation, but as president, do I really need to engage in arguments over what’s true and what’s not?” He asked the public to understand why he could not specify each subject of his apology, emphasizing the difficulty in addressing every issue individually.