YOON APOLOGIZES FOR FLOOD RESPONSE

[Anchor Lead]

For the first time since taking office, President Yoon has apologized to the public for the government's response to the recent floods. He presided over emergency meetings for two days in a row and visited the sites of flooding. Meanwhile politicians are still squaring off over Yoon's handling of the crisis by phone from the comfort of his home.

[Pkg]

President Yoon has presided over series of emergency meetings on the recent floods. For the first time since taking office, he apologized to the public for the endured massive damage and lives lost in the floods.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(President) : "I once again express my condolences and I want to apologize to the public on behalf of the gov’t for the inconveniences."

He ordered his administration to develop an AI flood prevention system, underground rainwater storage tanks and flood-control tunnels that can discharge rainwater to streams. Yoon visited the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters to stress the government's responsibility for people's safety.

[Soundbite] Yoon Suk-yeol(President) : "Those who struggle financially or have limited mobility are especially vulnerable during natural disasters. Our country can only be safe when these people are safe."

During his visit to the site of a retaining wall collapse, Yoon asked the displaced residents to trust the government and wait for help. He promised a public housing apartment to the elderly woman who has lost her two daughters and granddaughter in a flash flood in their semi-basement apartment. Controversy is brewing over Yoon's whereabouts on the first day of the severe downpour. He had handled the situation via phone, giving directions from his home.

[Soundbite] Park Hong-keun(Floor Leader, Democratic Party) : "What’s more problematic is that the presidential office says there is nothing wrong with the president giving out instructions by phone from home. I can’t help but ask if the AcroVista building in Seocho-dong, where the president lives, is the nat’l crisis control center."

[Soundbite] Kang Seung-kyu(Senior Secretary to the President for Relations(KBS 1 Radio)) : "The president is supposed to go home even when it rains. At the time he was heading home, everything was as usual and we all went about our plans for that evening."

On Thursday, President Yoon met with ministers to discuss additional price stabilization measures ahead of the Chuseok holiday and swift restoration efforts.