President Yoon Suk Yeol gestures while answering to a question at a press conference to commemorate the second anniversary of his presidency at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

President Yoon Suk Yeol apologized to the public for his wife Kim Keon Hee's acceptance of a Christian Dior bag from a pastor in 2022, during a press conference to commemorate the second anniversary of his presidency, Thursday.

This was the first time he publicly apologized for the issue, as he had previously expressed regret rather than offering a formal apology.

However, the president objected the opposition's push to launch a special counsel probe on the issue and a separate allegation about Kim's involvement in a stock manipulation scandal, describing it as "political maneuvering to conceal the truth."

It was Yoon's first press conference in 631 days, following his last meeting with reporters on August 17, 2022, to commemorate his first 100 days in office. Since then, Yoon had refrained from engaging with the press, but decided to hold one after promising to improve communication with the public following the ruling People Power Party's (PPP) crushing defeat in the April 10 general elections.

After reviewing the past two years of his presidency and outlining new policy pledges in his opening remarks, Yoon took 20 queries from reporters during a 70-minute question and answer session. He addressed a wide range of topics including politics, foreign policy, economy, and society, as well as controversies surrounding his wife.

Reporters raise their hands to ask questions to President Yoon Suk Yeol during a press conference at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

"I apologize for causing concern to the people because of the imprudent conduct of my wife," Yoon said, referring to the handbag scandal, which has exacerbated public sentiment against the administration for more than half a year. But he refrained from commenting further, stating that additional remarks could potentially impact the prosecution's ongoing investigation into the case.

However, Yoon maintained a firm stance against the opposition's efforts to initiate a special counsel probe into Kim's acceptance of the bag and the stock manipulation scandal. In January, he vetoed a special counsel probe bill related to the scandal. Despite this, the opposition bloc intends to propose another bill addressing the allegations.

The president said a special counsel probe should be launched only if the prosecution's investigation appears insufficient.

"During the previous administration, the prosecution had already conducted a scrutiny for two and a half years targeting me, and I have to ask: did the prosecution go easy on me and were the investigations insufficient?" the president said.

"Launching a special investigation after already conducting enough investigations seems to deviate from the essence and purpose of the special counsel system, and I believe this, at some point, is a political maneuver to conceal the truth."

A TV screen at Seoul Station shows President Yoon Suk Yeol's press conference, Thursday. Yonhap

Yoon also expressed opposition to a separate special counsel probe bill regarding the government's alleged interference in the military's investigation into the death of a Marine during a rescue operation in July last year.

The case gained further attention after Yoon appointed then-Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup as ambassador to Australia, even though he was under investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO).

This raised suspicions that the president was aiding the minister to avoid accusations, and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) unilaterally pushed the special counsel bill through the National Assembly on May 2, leveraging its majority.

"The police and the CIO are already investigating the case, and it will be handed over to the prosecution for indictment and trials of those involved," Yoon said. "If these processes are completed, the investigative authorities will brief the public on the results. If the public deems the investigations unacceptable, I will be the first to call for a special counsel probe."

The president emphasized that he appointed the former defense minister to the ambassador position due to his expertise in arms exports to Australia. He expressed the view that disqualifying someone from public office solely because they were accused by the CIO would make it extremely challenging to appoint qualified individuals to such roles.

The press conference was anticipated to be a barometer predicting whether the Yoon administration would change its approach to handling state affairs and cooperate with the DPK following the election defeat. Although Yoon met with DPK Chairman Lee Jae-myung for the first time on April 29, partisan conflicts persist as the Yoon administration has rejected most of the demands proposed by Lee.

Yoon said, "cooperation with the opposition does not come immediately after the meeting," but he will "leave the door open" for communication with opposition politicians.

He also emphasized the necessity of a Cabinet reshuffle to rejuvenate government organizations, but he added that he would not rush to appoint new faces.

President Yoon Suk Yeol delivers an opening remark for a press conference to commemorate the second anniversary of his presidency at the presidential office in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of presidential office

Regarding foreign policy, the president fielded questions exclusively from foreign press correspondents.

Regarding the potential for conflict between Seoul and Washington over defense cost-sharing for American troops under a new U.S. administration, Yoon said, "Negotiations will proceed smoothly if both sides approach the issue based on their strong alliance."

He also reiterated that relations between Korea and Japan will be future-oriented and will overcome obstacles stemming from historical issues. Yoon added that he and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have trust in each other.

Regarding the war between Russia and Ukraine, Yoon emphasized that it is "an attempt to change the status quo by force and an illegal invasion." He also reaffirmed that "Korea does not provide lethal weapons to any other country."

When asked about Seoul's strained relations with Moscow, Yoon said Korea will manage its relations with Russia in a manner that fosters partnerships in potential areas of cooperation, while expressing opposition to issues that Korea stands against.

"Our goal is maintaining a harmonious relationship with Russia and pursuing economic cooperation or common interests together whenever possible," Yoon said.