President Yoon with his head down, "My wife's wife is an apple"...I'm against the independent counsel.

[Anchor]
In a public statement and press conference that lasted 2 hours and 20 minutes, President Yoon Suk Yeol said he and his wife, Kim Gun-hee, apologized for the wrong behavior.

He said he would be more careful not to let this happen in the future, but he made it clear that he opposed the special prosecution pushed by the opposition party.

I'll connect you with a reporter from the presidential office in Yongsan to find out more.

Reporter Kang Min-kyung, let's summarize the public statement first.

President Yoon bowed to the people and apologized?

[Reporter]
Yes. At the beginning of his 15-minute statement, President Yoon Suk Yeol said that everything is my fault and my veneer of virtue.

I got up from my seat, bowed my head, and apologized.

Let's listen to it for ourselves.

[Yoon Suk Yeol / President: First of all, I would like to express my sincere apologies to the people, and then I will proceed with this State of the Union briefing.]

When reporters asked what he apologized specifically, President Yoon said that the people were worried because there was a problem with me and my wife's behavior and everything, and that he meant to be more careful not to let this happen.

First Lady Kim Gun-hee also added that she advised the people to apologize properly.President

Yoon also said he was well aware of what he and his government lacked and that he would fix the parts that needed to be fixed.

He then said he would seek to reform the state administration and emphasized that he would further strengthen the communication between the party and the government to become a competent government and political party working for the people.

In addition, President Yoon said that the economy is now stretching, and he promised to focus the government's capabilities with changes in people's livelihoods as the top priority for the rest of his term.

[Anchor]
What position did you express on the controversy over Mrs. Kim Gun-hee?

[Reporter]
Yes. President Yoon said about Kim Gun-hee, although there was something wrong with her behavior, that she demonized by making things that were basic and not.

Your wife helped the president to do well in the election. He also raised his voice, saying that what he did because he wanted the state affairs to be smooth could not be manipulated in state affairs.

Let's listen to it for ourselves.

[Yoon Suk Yeol / President: I think we need to reorganize the Korean dictionary if the president's wife wants to help the president and do well in elections and state affairs without getting criticized by others.]

However, she said that Kim was naive and that it was inappropriate to communicate privately with Myung Tae-kyun and others.

He said he should have changed his mobile phone at all, and he also told an anecdote that Kim had answered on his mobile phone until dawn, even though he had received numerous messages on his mobile phone since the political declaration.

He said he was angry about what he was doing, but he was refuted that he should contact him to thank him, adding that he will have to fight a lot in the future.Regarding Kim's external activities, President

Yoon said, "Unless it must be done in the national interest in full consideration of public opinion, we are effectively suspending it and will continue to do so."

However, he made it clear that he rejected the opposition party's "special prosecutor Kim", saying it was an idea against the Constitution.

Let's hear about it.

[Yoon Suk Yeol / President: It's basically a constitutional idea because appointing an independent counsel against the president and the ruling party means that anything can be done by law.]

{President Yoon said he had investigated Kim for more than two years but failed to prosecute her, and in this situation, the special prosecutor voiced his opinion that it was not judicial, but political instigation and human rights violations.

[Anchor]
What did you explain about the controversial contact with Myung Tae-kyun and the alleged involvement in the nomination?

[Reporter]
President Yoon said he couldn't talk about the nomination because he was busier than high school seniors during the 2022 by-elections.

The possibility of 'nomination intervention' has been drawn.

He said he got a call from Myung Tae-kyun on the phone the day before his inauguration, but he answered the phone because he thought he must have been disappointed, and he said he did a good job.

In addition, he stressed that there was nothing inappropriate about Myung and that he had never asked for a poll.President

Yoon added that although Mr. Myung seemed to have communicated with Mrs. Kim several times, there were many everyday things.

Regarding the rumor of conflict with CEO Han Dong-hoon, he said, "I think we need to go back to the beginning," adding, "I think the relationship will improve if we work hard for the people."

Let's listen to the related information.

[Yoon Suk Yeol / President: If we work hard together (with CEO Han Dong-hoon), wouldn't our relationship get better? It will get better. I think so.]Regarding the "personal reform" that CEO Han

publicly demanded, he said, "It is difficult to fundamentally do it as soon as possible, but we will show the aspect of innovation through personnel management at an appropriate time, and that we are looking for and verifying human resources."

In addition, President Yoon said he is considering providing weapons to Ukraine, especially defensive weapons.

An official from the presidential office said in a phone call with YTN that President Yoon is an honest and straightforward character, and he seems to have conducted this press conference honestly.

I'm Kang Min-kyung of YTN in the presidential office in Yongsan.