Tak Hyun-min, "The Futile End of Commuting Q&A" Criticizes Yoon

"Moon Administration Did Not Restrict Media Coverage"
"What Matters More: Journalists' Courtesy or the President's Response?"

Tak Hyun-min, former Protocol Secretary at the Blue House. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Juhee] Former Blue House Protocol Secretary Tak Hyunmin criticized President Yoon Seok-yeol's suspension of doorstepping (morning Q&A) and sanctions against MBC, referring to the 2019 New Year's press conference during the Moon Jae-in administration. He compared that even former President Moon had received rude questions from reporters but the Blue House did not impose any sanctions, calling it "the futile end of the much-talked-about morning Q&A."

In a post on Facebook on the 21st, former Secretary Tak mentioned an incident at the 2019 New Year's press conference where a reporter asked former President Moon, "Where does the president’s confidence come from, and what is the basis for it? I will ask you directly."

He explained, "The reporter’s tone seemed sarcastic, and at the live press conference, the question was abstract and impressionistic criticism directed at the president. At the time, the ruling party criticized it as rude, and the media also pointed out that it was an inappropriate question. Of course, the opposition praised the question as showing 'the spirit of a true reporter.'"

He continued, "Even now, I am not sure whether the reporter’s question was closer to 'courtesy' or 'spirit.' Among various commentaries at the time, there was a view that 'the attitude a reporter should have at a press conference is to ask questions boldly and challenge, rather than just being polite.' Although I was displeased, I had to agree with that opinion."

Former Secretary Tak said, "After the press conference, President Moon made no remarks. The Blue House did not say that press conferences should be stopped because of that, nor did they sanction the reporter for being rude, nor restrict the media’s coverage. They probably never even considered such sanctions possible."

On the 18th, during President Yoon’s morning Q&A, a verbal altercation occurred between an MBC reporter and a secretary from the presidential office, leading the presidential office to temporarily suspend the morning Q&A. The ruling party raised issues about the MBC reporter’s attire and attitude, noting that the reporter was wearing slippers and had their arms crossed. The presidential office reportedly demanded disciplinary discussions regarding the MBC reporter from the press corps, suggesting cancellation of press credentials, suspension of access to the presidential press room, or replacement with another MBC reporter. The presidential office also installed a partition wall citing security reasons between the press room located on the same floor as the presidential office’s first-floor entrance where the morning Q&A took place.

President Yoon Suk-yeol arrived at the Yongsan Presidential Office Building in Seoul on the morning of the 18th and engaged in a Q&A session with reporters. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding this, former Secretary Tak questioned, "Which is more important: the reporter’s manners or the president’s responsible answers? Which is more problematic: the sloppy attire of the press corps or the president’s frequent rudeness in speaking informally? Is it appropriate to criticize the attitude of the person asking the question rather than the correctness of the question itself?" He concluded, "In any case, it is a futile end," adding, "The 'partition wall' that appeared at the end of President Yoon’s (morning) Q&A is therefore even more symbolic."

Meanwhile, the reporter who asked former President Moon a question at the 2019 New Year's press conference mentioned by former Secretary Tak was Kim Yeryeong from Gyeonggi Broadcasting. She asked, "The real economy is freezing, and the people are struggling a lot. The president says he views this seriously, but why does he not change the policy direction? Where does that confidence come from, and what is the basis for it?"

In response, President Moon said, "I spent the entire 30 minutes of the press conference explaining why the government’s economic policy direction is necessary, and that sustainable growth is impossible without changing the structure of polarization and inequality. I don’t think a new answer is needed."

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