Presidential Office Steps Back Amid Opposition to Lowering School Age and Calls for Reform... Controversy Surrounds Yoon's Associates Even During His Vacation

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] The Yongsan Presidential Office is continuously embroiled in various controversies. Despite President Yoon Seok-yeol taking his first vacation since inauguration, demands for personnel reshuffling within the Presidential Office from the political sphere, as well as opposition to the Ministry of Education's push to lower the school starting age, seem to be increasingly focused on President Yoon. Issues surrounding people close to President Yoon, which had been quiet for a while, are also spreading one after another.

According to the Presidential Office on the 3rd, the Presidential Office and the Ministry of Education have begun a public opinion gathering process regarding the plan to lower the elementary school starting age to 5 years old. Ahn Sang-hoon, Senior Secretary for Social Affairs at the Presidential Office, stated, "President Yoon instructed that the Ministry of Education swiftly promote public discussion on this matter and ultimately act as a facilitator to enable bipartisan discussions in the National Assembly."

Park Soon-ae, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, also met with parent groups the day before and said, "If the public does not want it, it can be discarded."

This statement is a step back from President Yoon's remark just four days ago, when he urged, "I hope you quickly consider a plan to advance the school starting age by one year," calling for rapid legislation.

The calls for reform are similar. Regarding the growing demand for reshuffling the Presidential Office, mainly from the ruling party, a Presidential Office official said on the first day of the President's vacation, the 1st, that "there is no basis" for such claims, but the day before, the official made a statement suggesting change, saying, "Ultimately, it is the President's decision on what and how things are done in the Presidential Office."

President Yoon aimed to devise a new political situation during his vacation and break the declining trend in approval ratings for state affairs management. However, suspicions have surfaced, including allegations that the company contracted for the Presidential residence renovation was a sponsor of First Lady Kim Geon-hee's Kobana Contents, and rumors that the shaman Geon Jin-beop, Mr. Jeon, who has claimed close ties since President Yoon's inauguration, intervened in interests. These issues have prevented any signs of a rebound.

The Presidential Office explained regarding the residence renovation case, "The company mentioned in the allegations was responsible for the interior of the Kobana Contents exhibition and received payment. Being listed on the sponsorship list was a gesture of gratitude." Regarding the controversy over interference in interests, the Presidential Office stated, "If deemed necessary, an investigation will be conducted and measures will be taken."

A Presidential Office official said, "If an investigation is conducted, it will be handled by the Office of Public Officials Discipline and the Legal Secretary's Office." However, in the absence of the Civil Affairs Office, if the Office of Public Officials Discipline directly investigates the civilian Mr. Jeon, issues such as civilian surveillance could arise.

Regarding this, another Presidential Office official responded, "If any crimes or misconduct related to public officials are revealed, related civilians can be investigated as witnesses. Of course, compulsory investigation is not possible, but there are various ways to question witnesses."

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