YOON PUTS REFORM UP FOR PUBLIC DISCOURSE

[Anchor Lead]

The Ministry of Economy and Finance presented an economic policy report for next year. Unlike in other meetings, the report was addressed to the nation with President Yoon Suk-yeol joined by working-level officials and specialists from the private sector. Here, President Yoon stressed public discussions on reform. Despite his move to present policy goals for public discussion, some point out that it's a one-way communication with less chances to point out flaws in policies or pose critical questions.

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The Ministry of Economy and Finance presented an economic policy report for next year. Unlike in other meetings, President Yoon Suk-yeol was joined by working-level officials and specialists from the private sector. The report was actually addressed to the nation since Yoon plans to reach a public consensus to speed up reform drive during his second year in office.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(President) : "By discussing reform with the people and publicizing it, we will rapidly and strongly push for reform under a grand social consensus."

The South Korean leader said 2023 will be the first year of reforming labor, education and the pension program. He emphasized labor reform as top priority and one of the challenges is stamping out corruption in labor unions.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(President) : "Corruption in labor unions is one of the three corruptions that should be wiped out from our society along with corruption in public offices and corporations."

There have been several attempts lately to present policy goals for public discussion and gain the power to drive state affairs. However, there are fewer chances to point out flaws in policies or pose critical questions. For instance, the President's labor reform plan is criticized as a move to tame the unions, but the media don't get a chance to ask questions or hear his answers. An official with the top Office said the President is listening to various opinions at the meetings and claims there is no one-way communication or any such issues. But even when Yoon claims to have heard the opinions of policy targets at the last review of national tasks, he only received questions selected in advance by each ministry. Even in the new year, the top office plans to continue communicating in the format of reporting to the people. It is unclear if or when the President's morning interviews with the press, which was suspended last month, will resume and nothing has been decided about the new year's press conference.