Yoon Returns from Overseas Tour... Disaster Recovery and Numerous National Tasks Await

Focus on Current and Economic Issues Until Year-End... 'National Policy Task Public Report Conference' Scheduled for Next Month

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Baek Kyunghwan] President Yoon Seok-yeol returned to Korea on the 16th after a 4-night, 6-day tour of Southeast Asia. On the same day, President Yoon will resume domestic duties starting with an internal briefing at the Yongsan Presidential Office on the Itaewon tragedy response and year-end national agenda promotion. Since no government bills have yet passed the National Assembly, he is expected to focus on the budget and bill processing related to the national agenda during the remaining regular session of the National Assembly.

According to the Presidential Office on the day, President Yoon plans to concentrate his efforts on domestic issues and economic matters until the end of the year. Next month, he will hold a ‘National Agenda Public Report Meeting’ to present the achievements of the national agenda so far to the public and is also expected to preside over an export strategy meeting. The National Agenda Report Meeting is an occasion to directly introduce to the public the achievements of the government’s first-year national agenda implementation and future plans, sending a message that the administration will work harder to create tangible changes. This is reportedly based on an internal judgment that there had not been enough opportunities to sufficiently inform the public about the national agenda.

The export strategy meeting is an economic sector meeting distinct from the Emergency Economic and Livelihood Meeting and the Macroeconomic and Financial Situation Review Meeting, interpreted as an effort to encourage related ministries as the annual trade balance is expected to turn into a deficit for the first time in 14 years.

President Yoon will also receive reports on follow-up measures regarding the Itaewon tragedy. Separately from the government’s comprehensive measures, the Presidential Office will operate a ‘Public-Private Joint National Safety System Inspection Meeting’ to report directly to President Yoon. It has been confirmed that the Presidential Office and the government are currently preparing support systems such as the ‘Itaewon Accident One-Stop Integrated Support Center.’

To this end, during the regular session of the National Assembly, cooperation from the ruling party is expected to be requested regarding bills and budget issues. A Presidential Office official added, "Since President Yoon has shown great interest in livelihood-related matters among the core national agendas of the new government, he will proceed swiftly with the relevant ministries accordingly."

On the morning of the 16th, President Yoon arrived at Seongnam Airport in Seoul around 6:50 a.m. and shook hands with Jeong Jin-seok, Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party who came to welcome him, Joo Ho-young, floor leader, Kim Dae-gi, Presidential Chief of Staff, and Lee Sang-min, Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Notably, after shaking hands with Minister Lee, who was embroiled in opposition party criticism during the Itaewon crush tragedy response, President Yoon said, "You worked hard," drawing attention.

Evaluations of President Yoon’s Southeast Asia tour were divided between the ruling and opposition parties. Jeong Jin-seok, Emergency Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, praised it as "clearing the clogged blood vessels of Korean diplomacy, which were full of blood clots in the heart and brain vessels," while Park Hong-geun, floor leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, harshly criticized it, saying, "The New Southern Policy and Northern Policy have disappeared. There was no progress on historical issues even in the Korea-Japan summit. A shameful new record of media control was set."

President Yoon will hold a series of summit meetings on the 17th and 18th. On the 17th, he will meet with Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands, and on the 18th, with Pedro S?nchez, Prime Minister of Spain. A meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, who is scheduled to visit Korea tomorrow, is also being coordinated.

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