South Korean President Apologizes For Losing His Party In Parliamentary Election

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeo/PHOTO via Instagram @sukyeol.yoon

JAKARTA - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol apologized after the People's Power Party (PPP) he led lost badly in last week's parliamentary general election.

"I apologize for failing to pay attention to and uphold the wishes of the community," Yoon said at a cabinet meeting in Seoul, as stated by a senior presidential official reported by ANTARA from Yonhap, Tuesday, April 16.

The apology was delivered six days after PPP was defeated in the April 10 election. PPP only won 108 seats in the 300-member National Assembly.

Interpreting the defeat of elections as a public evaluation of the way he runs the government, Yoon emphasized the importance of communicating with the people.

"We must all accept the sentiment of society that was revealed in the election," he said.

He promised to communicate more with a more humble and flexible attitude, and to be the first to listen to public sentiment closely.

Pemilu ini dilihat sebagai keputusan tegas terhadap pemerintahan Yoon selama dua tahun terakhir, dari total lima tahun periode jabatan sebagai presiden.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, Presidential Chief of Staff Lee Kwan-sup and most of the presidential senior secretary have offered to resign to take responsibility for the defeat.

Yoon, the first president since South Korean democratization to work with opposition-controlled parliament during his five-year term, faces growing calls for changing the course of state affairs and improving ties with the National Assembly.

"Even though in the two years since my inauguration, I have only paid attention to the people and taken the path for the sake of the national interest, I failed to meet people's expectations," Yoon told his cabinet in a live opening speech.

"In fact, I have determined the right direction in matters of statehood and tried my best to make it happen. However, I believe I am lacking in creating changes that can be felt by the community," he said.

Yoon specifically noted a lack of concern for South Koreans who are experiencing difficulties, saying that although the government has made its best efforts to control inflation, improve fiscal health, increase housing supply and protect retail stock investors - none of these actions are sufficient to meet the basic needs of low-income communities.

"In the end, no matter how true the direction of state life is and no matter how good the policy we encourage, if people cannot feel a real change, the government will fail to carry out its role," he said.

"I will get closer to the community and dig deeper into people's lives, listen to difficulties on the ground, and be more active in managing people's lives," continuedYoon.

Yoon then promised to accelerate the implementation of policies that were beneficial to the community while filling in the gap, by gathering public opinion through meetings at city hall.

However, he indicated he had no intention of stepping down from his plans to increase admissions of new students at medical schools - an issue that has caused thousands of young doctors to leave their jobs as a form of protest - thus disrupting health services in South Korea since last February.

"I will continue to strive for three major reforms in the fields of employment, education, and retirement, as well as medical reforms, while still paying attention to rational opinions. The government must fulfill its responsibilities as much as possible while working closely and further with the National Assembly," Yoon said.