Attending the Presidential Election Convention After 7 Years... All Eyes on Yoon's Remarks

President Yoon May Mention Three Major Reforms and Korea-Japan Relations

President Yoon Suk-yeol will attend the People Power Party's convention on the 8th. It is the first time in seven years that a president has attended the ruling party's convention, drawing attention to the message President Yoon will deliver.

According to the presidential office and political circles on the 8th, President Yoon is scheduled to attend the People Power Party's 3rd convention held that afternoon and deliver a congratulatory speech lasting about five minutes. This will be the first time since the party retreat in August last year that President Yoon personally attends an official event of his home party, and it is also the first time since former President Park Geun-hye attended the Saenuri Party convention in 2016 that a president has attended the ruling party's convention.

It is expected that in his congratulatory speech, President Yoon will refer to the congratulatory speeches of previous presidents at party conventions and express the philosophy of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration and its stance on current issues.

For example, former President Lee Myung-bak attended the 10th Hannara Party convention in July 2008, about one year and four months after his inauguration, where he addressed current issues such as the global financial crisis and the import of U.S. beef, comforting party members. Regarding protests against U.S. beef imports, he stated, "We will do our utmost to ensure food safety," and emphasized, "Illegal and violent protests will never be accepted by the people." Concerning the economic crisis, he appealed for support for economic policies by saying, "If the new government and our party unite, we can overcome this difficulty well," and "It is time to raise the torch of economic revival."

Former President Park Geun-hye attended the party conventions in 2014 and 2016 when the People Power Party was known as the Saenuri Party, emphasizing the strong promotion of four major policy pillars: regulatory reform and creative economy, customized welfare by life cycle, cultural prosperity, and building a foundation for peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula. Regarding the Sewol ferry disaster, she said, "The Sewol accident, which plunged the entire nation into grief, brought about deep reflection on the fundamentals of our society and the difficult but necessary task of national innovation," and mentioned reforms of outdated systems by stating, "The deep-rooted evils that unknowingly afflict our society are well hidden and rarely revealed, but now that they have finally come to light, this will mark the beginning of eradicating those evils."

President Yoon is also expected to reaffirm the Yoon Suk-yeol administration's governance philosophy, including liberal democracy, market economy system, and Korea's contribution to world peace, while addressing current issues such as labor, education, pension reforms, and the restoration of Korea-Japan relations, using the occasion to gain momentum for governance.

Although presidential movements are usually not announced in advance due to security concerns, President Yoon unusually pre-announced his attendance at the convention, which is interpreted as an effort to encourage voting and rally the ruling party by informing the public of the president's presence in advance.

In particular, the three major reforms, a core task, are expected to be emphasized with a strong policy push and an appeal for public support. President Yoon previously highlighted 2023 as the inaugural year for the three major reforms at the 1st National Economic Advisory Council meeting he presided over in December last year. At the Cabinet meeting the day before, President Yoon urged, "Please speedily push forward the three major reforms in labor, education, and pensions for the people." Regarding the solution to the forced labor issue announced by the government on the 6th, he is also expected to reiterate, "We will resolve it from the perspective of national interest. It will be a strength for future generations."

However, there is also a cautious atmosphere regarding messages that could potentially spark unnecessary controversies such as interference in party affairs. It is known that President Yoon will leave after greeting ruling party lawmakers and members without watching the results of the next party leader election.

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