Yoon mulls speech after summer break

President Yoon Suk Yeol is considering delivering a speech to the nation over a set of domestic reform agendas to address crises in the fields of education, labor, medicine, and population, as well as the public pension's sustainability later this month, according to the presidential office Monday.

According to the presidential office, Yoon will make public remarks after he returns to his post from his summer vacation next week, and before the first regular session of the 22nd National Assembly kicks off on Sept. 2.

Potentially drawing media attention are Yoon's plan for pension reform and the policy drive to address the record-low birth rate, amid the ruling bloc's confrontation with the opposition parties, which combined take a majority of seats at the National Assembly.

In the 21st National Assembly, the ruling bloc and the main opposition failed to reach an agreement on how much pension benefit an individual is to receive in proportion to his or her wage level, until its termination.

Rep. Park Ju-min of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea on July 29 called for the government's new pension reform proposal before September, as procrastination in the nation's pension reform will ramp up financial pressure on the young generation in what is almost a super-aging society.

With respect to the population crisis, the Yoon administration is tasked with the opposition-controlled parliament to push through the bill to establish a ministry dedicated to the nation's population planning, and have a deputy prime minister lead the ministry.

Yoon's remarks would mark the seventh to be delivered at an event, with the sole purpose of showing his attendance, since his inauguration.

Yoon last made his public remarks in June to announce that he had approved an exploratory drilling in the East Sea off South Korea's southeastern coast, hoping to explore potential oil and natural gas reserves. He also hosted a press conference in May, the second one since his inauguration in May 2022.

His last address to the nation took place in April, just ahead of the general election on April 10, to stress the need for medical reform to address the nation's looming physician shortage as thousands of trainee doctors walked out in a show of protest against the Yoon administration's plan for a medical school quota hike. He has made three addresses to the nation so far.

An official of the presidential office said on condition of anonymity that Yoon's upcoming remarks would align with his promise to hold a press conference quarterly, adding that the details on the timing and the topic of his public remarks have not been confirmed.

In the meantime, all eyes are on whether Yoon, who is currently on a weeklong vacation, will exercise his veto right over contentious bills as soon as they are tabled in a Cabinet meeting.

The bills include a 13 trillion-won ($9.58 billion) bill to dole out cash-equivalent coupons worth 250,000 won to every South Korean citizen universally, and four bills to curtail Yoon's power to nominate board members of South Korea's public broadcasters, among others.

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo is set to preside over a Cabinet meeting Tuesday.