President Moon's 2020 New Year's Address Achieves Highest Viewership Since Inauguration... Records 15.1%

"Definite Changes in Innovation and Fairness" Promise
New Year's Address in the 4th Year of Administration
Total Nationwide Viewership Including the Three Major Terrestrial Broadcasters at 15.1%
Five Proposals for Improving Inter-Korean Relations

On the 7th, citizens are watching President Moon Jae-in's New Year's address in the Seoul Station waiting room.
Photo by Asia Economy DB

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Suwan] President Moon Jae-in's 2020 New Year's address recorded the highest viewership rating among his New Year's addresses since taking office, surpassing 15%.

According to TNMS, a viewership rating survey company, the nationwide total viewership rating for the "President Moon Jae-in's New Year's Address," broadcast live from 9:30 AM the previous day, was 15.1%.

This tally included the three terrestrial broadcasters, JTBC, TV Chosun, MBN, Channel A (four comprehensive programming channels), Yonhap News TV and YTN (two news-specialized channels), and OBS.

By channel, △KBS 1TV recorded the highest at 6.6%, followed by △SBS TV at 2.5%, △MBC TV at 1.6%, △MBN at 1.2%, △TV Chosun at 0.9%, △Yonhap News at 0.8%, △Channel A at 0.7%, △YTN at 0.5%, △JTBC at 0.4%, and △OBS at 0.1%.

Notably, this year's President Moon's New Year's address viewership rose compared to last year and 2018. Previously, the 2019 New Year's press conference had a 13.2% rating, and the 2018 New Year's press conference had 13.9%.

In the nationwide live broadcast of the New Year's address, President Moon proposed five measures to improve inter-Korean relations, including cooperation in border areas, co-hosting the 2032 Olympics, forming a unified team and joint entrance at the Tokyo Olympics for sports exchanges, connecting inter-Korean railroads and roads, and jointly registering the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Regarding the recently passed High-ranking Officials' Crime Investigation Office establishment bill, he said, "It is an institutional device to ensure that no one enjoys privileges before the law and that the law is applied equally and fairly," adding, "Once the 'Investigation Authority Adjustment Bill' is passed and the legal and institutional foundation for reforming power institutions is completed, society will become more just and stronger social trust will be formed."

President Moon also stated regarding this year's government policy direction, "We will ensure that the people can feel 'certain change' in 'inclusion,' 'innovation,' and 'fairness.'"

He also mentioned real estate policy, saying, "The government's determination to stabilize the real estate market, protect actual demanders, and suppress speculation is firm," and "We will never lose the war against real estate speculation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.