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| President Yoon Suk-yeol answers reporters' questions as he arrives at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Monday. It was Yoon's first Q&A session with reporters in 13 days. Yonhap |
By Nam Hyun-woo
President Yoon Suk-yeol said he would go back to basics when he returned to work on Monday after a week-long vacation, in an apparent effort to regain public trust in his administration.
"As I looked back at what happened in the past, I came to be grateful to the people who have helped me come this far, with both harsh criticism and heartfelt encouragement," Yoon said while answering reporters' questions upon his arrival at the presidential office.
"During my vacation, I reached the conclusion that as president, I need to be humble, and try to figure out what the public wants and listen carefully to what they say," he said.
Yoon took reporters' questions after a two-week hiatus. After slamming police officers' protests against the government's plan to set up a police bureau under the interior ministry on July 26, Yoon did not take reporters' questions that week and then went on a weeklong vacation all last week.
His comments came as his approval ratings have been on a downward spiral. And while Yoon was on vacation, his approval ratings fell to the abysmal 20-percent range.
According to a Realmeter weekly poll released on Monday, Yoon's job approval rating stood at 29.3 percent, down 3.8 percentage points from a week earlier. The poll surveyed 2,528 adults from Aug. 1 to 5.
A separate poll by Korea Society Opinion Institute, which was also released on Monday, showed that only 27.5 percent showed a positive response to Yoon's work, down 1.4 percentage points from a week earlier. This poll surveyed 1,002 adults from Aug. 5 to 6. Further details of the surveys are available at the websites of the polling agencies and the National Election Survey Deliberation Commission.
The ratings appear to reflect public concern over the economy, as inflation is currently at a 24-year high, criticism over his decision not to meet U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during her visit to Seoul, and the widespread backlash against his administration's proposal to lower the school entry age for children ― all in the midst of another major COVID-19 surge.
Against this backdrop, calls were growing among both the ruling and opposition blocs that Yoon should consider replacing some of his aides or Cabinet members to improve public perception of his administration.
"The power comes from the people. I will look over all issues again from their perspective and take measures if necessary," Yoon said when asked if he has any intention to reshuffle his aides or ministers.
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| President Yoon Suk-yeol enters his office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Monday, where reporters were waiting to ask him questions after a two-week hiatus. Yonhap |
So far, multiple aides at the presidential office have said that Yoon will not likely opt for a shakeup in the office or the Cabinet, citing his style of having deep trust for aides he recruited. After the comments, however, speculation mounted that Yoon may replace aides or ministers to seek a breakthrough in the current low-popularity doldrums.
"While President Yoon was relaxing, the country was even noisier than before," said Park Hong-keun, floor leader of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK).
"The top reason for the negative sentiments towards Yoon's work is the personnel issues. The public is sick and tired of these controversies that keep emerging like the peeling of an onion. I once again demand the president to conduct a sweeping renewal of the presidential office and the Cabinet," he said.
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