President Yoon Suk Yeol said Tuesday he humbly accepts the sentiment of voters shown in last week’s general elections, where the ruling party suffered a crushing defeat, and pledged to make earnest efforts to heed the voices of the people with a flexible attitude.He also expressed regret, stating he was “sorry” for failing to fully reflect the public’s sentiment, according to a senior presidential secretary. That term was not initially used at the beginning of the Cabinet meeting, which was televised.“We all have to humbly accept the public sentiment shown in the general elections,” Yoon said at the beginning of the Cabinet meeting. “Starting with myself, we will listen to the public’s opinions more carefully and engage in candidate communication with a humble and flexible attitude.”Yoon made those remarks six days after the ruling People Power Party (PPP) secured only 108 out of 300 seats in the National Assembly in the general elections. It was his first public remark since the crushing defeat. The president acknowledged that throughout the last two years of his term, his primary focus has been on advancing the interests of the people. However, he conceded that despite his efforts, they fell short of public expectations, and his policies lacked the effectiveness needed to translate into tangible changes for the public.
“I’ll pay more attention to people’s voices and make much more efforts to improve people’s livelihoods,” he said.Regarding bipartisan cooperation, Yoon said, “The government will cooperate with the National Assembly more closely. A more comprehensive explanation about bills and budgets will be made to stabilize the public’s livelihood and improve communication with the people.”But the president did not specify how he will engage with the opposition. The main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and the minor liberal Rebuilding Korea Party have each requested a meeting between their leaders and Yoon.The senior presidential secretary said that Yoon’s comments imply the president is open to a potential meeting with opposition leaders. But he said the office has to consider that the 22nd National Assembly will begin in late May, and the ruling party, which is now suffering a leadership vacuum, has to join any meeting with opposition leaders.According to the secretary, Yoon conveyed to Cabinet members his apologies to the public for not adequately reflecting their sentiment, and expressed his commitment to doing whatever is necessary 온라인카지노 or their well-being. These remarks, however, were not televised.