Lee Jae Myung's press conference to tackle cabinet picks, troop deployment, dropped charges

President Lee Jae Myung will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. Friday at the Yeongbingwan banquet hall of Cheong Wa Dae.

With his approval rating at its lowest point since taking office, the event is seen as a potential turning point in his effort to revive governing momentum heading into his second year in office.

Cheong Wa Dae said the conference would give the president a chance to "listen again to the will of the people." Reflecting its open-ended nature, the event carries no special slogan and has been billed simply as the "Lee Jae Myung Press Conference."

Unlike the customary New Year's or first-anniversary press conferences, this one was not tied to any particular occasion or milestone. It is focused on strengthening direct communication with the public ahead of the Chuseok holiday, as the administration grapples with a slide in approval ratings.

The conference is expected to give Lee a platform to hear public concerns across a broad range of policy issues and to lay out his thinking on sensitive matters — including a cabinet reshuffle, real estate policy, constitutional reform and term limits, the withdrawal of criminal charges against him, and a potential troop deployment to the Strait of Hormuz — all of which have been cited as factors behind his falling approval numbers.

Chief among the topics drawing attention is whether Lee will address the controversy surrounding his recent personnel appointments and whether he plans to overhaul the vetting system for nominees.

The second-term cabinet nominations have been dogged by a string of allegations and controversies. Following the withdrawal of Yong Hye-in as nominee for minister of gender equality and family, public sentiment toward Kim Seung-won, the nominee for minister of justice, has also been unfavorable. Lee is expected to address what went wrong in the vetting process and how the system will be strengthened going forward.

Real estate is another major issue. Polls have consistently identified housing as a leading driver of negative assessments of Lee, making his message on expanding housing supply and on tax and demand-management policy closely watched.

The government recently unveiled a large-scale supply package through its Aug. 13 measures, so questions are likely to follow on how the administration plans to ensure those policies take effect and how it intends to stabilize home prices and the jeonse and monthly rent market.

Constitutional reform — including the question of presidential term limits — is another topic Lee will find hard to avoid. Suspicions have persisted, particularly in opposition circles, that the administration may be pursuing a constitutional amendment that would allow a president to serve a second consecutive term.

Lee has stated on multiple occasions that his tenure is limited under the current constitution, and he is expected to reaffirm that position at Friday's conference.

The question of dropping criminal charges related to cases involving Lee also carries significant political weight. Observers are watching to see how specifically he will address the issues of investigation, trial proceedings, and the withdrawal of charges.

At his first-anniversary press conference, Lee was asked about a special prosecutor probe into alleged fabricated indictments and the possibility of dropping charges. He said at the time, "At a minimum, the truth must be established. If something was wrong, it should be corrected; if it was not, it can be left alone." However, analysts say it is unlikely he will go so far as to rule out the possibility of dropping charges himself.

On the foreign policy and security front, the most sensitive issue is South Korea's potential contribution to stabilizing the Strait of Hormuz, including the question of troop deployment.

With US requests for a deployment intertwined with South Korea's investment commitments to the United States and the implementation of bilateral trade and security agreements, attention will focus on how Lee plans to balance the alliance relationship with domestic public concerns — a question that goes well beyond the narrow issue of military contribution.