President Lee Jae-myung will hold a news conference at 10 a.m. on the 18th at the guest house of the Blue House.
Sung Ki-hong, senior presidential secretary for public relations and communication, announced the plan in a briefing on the 15th. About 150 domestic and foreign reporters will attend, and the session will be divided into two areas: politics and diplomacy, and policy and the economy.
The conference is scheduled to run about 90 minutes, including the president's opening remarks, a question-and-answer session and closing comments. Seating will be arranged to place the president as close as possible to reporters, and comments submitted by members of the public will also be presented as part of an effort to listen to citizens' voices.
"This conference will be an occasion to respond to the public sentiment that gave birth to a government based on popular sovereignty, and to deliver the president's firm commitment to reform, a governing approach that puts people's livelihoods first, and a message of stronger national unity," Sung said. "The president will also state and explain his clear positions and direction on major pending issues to the public."
He added: "Reporters will be free to ask about major pending issues without being restricted to specific topics, and the president will answer directly. The president intends to communicate sincerely and fully about state affairs that the public is curious about and wants to hear."
