President Lee Chooses 'Press Conference' as Turnaround Card Amid Falling Approval Ratings

Press Conference at Blue House State Guest House on the 18th
Seventh Since Inauguration, 90 Minutes Broadcast Live
Around 150 Domestic and Foreign Journalists to Attend
Divided into Politics & Diplomacy, Policy & Economy
Selected Real-

President Lee Jae-myung will hold his seventh press conference since taking office on the 18th, where he will personally address key state affairs, including livelihood issues, reforms, and national unity. Unlike previous press conferences held on specific occasions such as his 30th or 100th day in office, New Year's Day, or the first anniversary of his inauguration, this event does not set a particular theme. Instead, it will cover a wide range of current political, economic, and diplomatic issues that have recently emerged. With national approval ratings having declined and controversies swirling around major policies, attention is focused on whether President Lee will present concrete messages on core issues such as constitutional revision to allow for re-election, the special counsel debate over dropping charges, and instability in the real estate market.

President Lee Jae-myung is responding to questions at the New Year's press conference held at the Blue House State Guest House on January 21, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Seong Gihong, Blue House Chief of Public Communications, announced during a briefing at the Chunchugwan on the 15th, "President Lee will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. on the 18th at the State Guest House." The event is expected to last approximately 90 minutes, including President Lee's opening statement, a Q&A session with journalists, and closing remarks, with around 150 domestic and international reporters in attendance.

This marks the seventh official press conference since President Lee took office. Chief Seong explained, "This will be an opportunity to respond to the public sentiment that brought about a government based on popular sovereignty, to reaffirm the President’s determination for reform, his policy of prioritizing livelihoods, and his message for stronger national unity." He added, "We will clearly present and explain to the public our stances and directions on the major issues facing the nation."

There will be no restrictions on the topics for the Q&A session. The press conference will be structured into two main areas—politics & diplomacy and policy & economy—but journalists will be free to ask questions on any current issue, and President Lee will respond directly. No pre-selection process, such as a lottery system or submitted video questions, which were used at some past press conferences, will be employed. The proceedings will be moderated by Chief Spokesperson Kang Yujeong, who will select the questioners, while President Lee focuses on answering.

The Blue House plans to arrange the seats as close as possible to minimize the distance between the President and the reporters, and to reflect, in part, the real-time reactions of the public watching the conference. There are also plans to select comments from YouTube and other new media—particularly those that raise unanswered or supplementary questions not addressed during live questions—and introduce them between the two main Q&A sessions.

A banner with the phrase "We will pay closer attention to the will and lives of the people" will be displayed in the conference room. According to a Blue House official, this signifies a reaffirmation of the government’s foundation in popular sovereignty, as well as a renewed commitment to carefully addressing the real, lived experiences of citizens. President Lee’s opening remarks are also expected to focus on livelihoods, reform, and unity.

Press Conference Focused on Current Issues: Opting for Direct Communication Amid Falling Approval Ratings

This press conference differs from past events in that it is not tied to any particular political schedule or inauguration anniversary. A Blue House official explained, "Whereas the previous six conferences were held on milestones such as 30 days, 100 days, or one year after inauguration, this time, the focus is simply on 'President Lee Jae-myung's press conference.' The purpose is to give the public and media a chance to ask about ongoing issues and for the President to provide direct explanations."

In response to a question about whether the recent drop in approval ratings is the backdrop for this press conference, a Blue House official stated, "Approval ratings are one of several critical indicators of public evaluation of state governance. The President and the Blue House take the views and assessments reflected in the approval ratings very seriously and with great responsibility."

The official continued, "It is essential at any time for the President to receive questions directly from the public and to explain the direction of state affairs." He added, "Now that one year and three months have passed since taking office, people's curiosity about the future direction of government is growing, so we decided to hold this press conference."

President Lee’s recent approval ratings have been declining in part due to issues involving real estate and personnel appointments, as well as concerns about the speed and manner of reforms, and diplomatic and security matters. Accordingly, this press conference is expected to focus on not only domestic policy issues—such as real estate policy, prosecutorial reform, and controversies over vetting government officials—but also on diplomatic, security, and trade matters, including the deployment of troops to the Strait of Hormuz and investment projects with the United States.

Unscripted and Open: Follow-up Question Format Under Consideration

The Blue House has decided that, as with previous conferences, no questions will be coordinated in advance, maintaining the principle of free and open Q&A. To increase the intensity of the discussion, specific formats—such as allowing follow-up questions to the President—are being considered and will be decided in detail. A Blue House official said, "Rather than the format itself, what matters is how effectively the interaction between the President and reporters draws out the information the public wants. We will strive to make this conference a more advanced model of communication."

Since his inauguration, President Lee has expanded direct communication through press conferences and briefings. Starting with the July 2025 press conference marking 30 days in office, subsequent milestones include the 100-day press conference, a foreign press event on the one-year anniversary of the December 3 Democracy Restoration, this year’s New Year’s press conference, the first anniversary press conference, and briefings following trips to Europe and the Group of Seven (G7) nations.

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