'The people are always right': Lee takes blame for gov't failures, won't seek second term

President Lee Jae Myung took the blame for recent public disappointment with his administration, saying it was “entirely because of my own shortcomings” and declaring that he had no intention of seeking a second term.

“It's true that I was flustered when I suddenly faced public disappointment and concern after the local elections,” Lee said during a press conference held at the Blue House in Jongno District, central Seoul, on Friday morning. “But after much time spent in deep reflection, my conclusion is that the people are always right.”

The June 3 local elections were disrupted at some polling stations by ballot paper shortages, damaging public confidence in the election's fairness. That showed in the polls: Lee's approval rating tumbled from 57 percent in late May to 47.7 percent within two weeks of the election. Lee's approval rating has since fallen further, hitting a record low of 38 percent in a Gallup Korea poll published Sept. 11.

“I was so preoccupied with too many tasks that I failed to properly consider the feelings of many more people,” Lee said. “Believing I needed to prove myself through results rather than clear claims or declarations, I failed to fully empathize with the conflict and pain that inevitably arise in the process of improving livelihoods, pursuing reform and building unity.”

He continued, “Faced with small achievements and the great support the public has given me, my sense of fear and humility diminished. I will revive that fear of the people and approach every task with more care, humility and intensity.”

Lee also acknowledged that improving economic indicators had not translated into improvements that could be felt in people's daily lives. "'They say the economic indicators have improved, so why hasn't my life changed — no, why is it getting worse?' I failed to answer that question more assertively,” he said. “I will focus on improving people's livelihoods as much as I focus on recovery and growth.”

“I have been criticized for letting reform lose focus in the pursuit of unity, and had my sincerity toward unity doubted while pursuing reform. I say firmly that it is my administration that fell short in process and method — not that the direction we are headed has changed,” he added.

On the internal dispute among ruling-camp supporters, Lee said, “It's regrettable that those who risked their lives to overcome the insurrection and stood wholeheartedly together for the success of this government of the people's sovereignty are now trading the language of hatred with one another.”

“As the Democratic Party's member No. 1 and the person with ultimate responsibility for state affairs, my responsibility is greatest.”

Lee also said he would finish prosecutorial reform. “I will responsibly complete the historic task of irreversible prosecutorial reform,” he said, stressing the separation of investigation and indictment by excluding prosecutors from investigations and splitting the prosecution service into a Public Prosecutions Office and a Serious Crimes Investigation Agency.

The plan would end the prosecution service's decades-long monopoly on both investigating and filing charges in criminal cases, splitting the current Supreme Prosecutors' Office into two separate bodies for the first time.

He also raised the need to check the expansion of police authority. “Through intensive police reform, I will dispel public concern that a monopoly on investigative authority could allow the police to regress into an unchecked power,” Lee said.

On real estate, Lee said he would “absolutely stabilize the housing market,” pledging swift action on supply, regulatory and tax policy.

Seoul apartment prices have risen for months despite a series of government measures aimed at cooling the market. To ease overcrowding in the greater Seoul area, Lee said he would complete construction of the administrative capital as quickly as possible and “open an era of two capitals — 'economic capital Seoul' and 'administrative capital Sejong.'”

Starting in 2012, Sejong, roughly 120 kilometers (74.6 miles) south of Seoul, was built to house government ministries and ease Seoul's congestion, but the presidential office and National Assembly have remained in the capital region.

Regarding constitutional amendments, Lee reiterated his existing positions: incorporating the spirit of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement and the Busan-Masan Uprising into the constitution's preamble, strengthening citizens' basic rights, distributing presidential power and introducing a consecutive-term presidential system.

However, Lee drew a clear line on the possibility of his own re-election. “My own re-election through a constitutional amendment would be unconstitutional, and I have stated many times through various channels that I have never even considered seeking a second term,” he said. “I have absolutely no intention of serving a second term.”

Korea's Constitution limits presidents to a single five-year term, a restriction written into the charter in 1987 to prevent a return to the long-term authoritarian rule of past military-backed presidents.

On recent controversies over personnel appointments, Lee said, “In exercising all state power, including personnel administration, I will respect the will of the sovereign people to the fullest extent,” adding, “I will also take this opportunity to re-examine the personnel system.”

Several of his recent Cabinet picks — including Kang Shin-chul, his nominee for defense minister; Yong Hye-in, his nominee for gender equality minister; and Kim Seung-won, his nominee for justice minister — have drawn anger from lawmakers across party lines, with some of the nominations still working through contentious confirmation hearings. 

“The people are always right,” Lee said, closing his remarks. “I will do everything in my power to become a 'livelihood president' who serves the people with a humbler posture and brings about real change that people can feel in their daily lives, a 'reform president' who resolves the longstanding and historic tasks of democratic governments and a 'unity president' who builds a world where we live together beyond conflict and confrontation.”

BY HAN YOUNG-HYE [[email protected]]