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South Korean President Lee Jae-myung Holds High-Stakes Press Conference at Cheong Wa Dae

r/Politics •
Darom AI September 18, 2026
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung Holds High-Stakes Press Conference at Cheong Wa Dae
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung Holds High-Stakes Press Conference at Cheong Wa Dae

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung convened a high-stakes, 90-minute live press conference at the Cheong Wa Dae state guest house on September 18, 2026, seeking to reset his administration's agenda amid declining public approval.

The event, which was pushed back by 30 minutes to 10:30 a.m. to allow the president additional time to finalize his remarks, marks Lee's seventh official press conference since taking office. Approximately 150 domestic and foreign journalists gathered for the open-format session, which was divided into two broad segments: politics and diplomacy, followed by policy and the economy.

Addressing Domestic Controversies and Policy Friction

The press conference comes at a politically sensitive juncture for the administration. Recent public opinion polls recorded a dip in Lee's approval ratings, down into the 30% range, driven by voter discontent over stubborn real estate prices and economic pressures despite robust export numbers in sectors like semiconductors.

Ahead of the session, political analysts and opposition lawmakers pressed for explicit clarifications on several polarizing issues, including proposed constitutional amendments regarding consecutive presidential terms and controversies surrounding criminal case withdrawals. While Lee previously maintained during an overseas trip to France that his term is firmly bounded by the existing constitution, domestic critics demanded a definitive, unconditional declaration ruling out any pursuit of a second term.

Personnel management and institutional appointments also formed a core portion of the scrutiny. The administration has faced internal friction and opposition pushback following recent cabinet and agency nominee resignations and re-verifications, turning the press conference into a key test of executive control over state affairs.

Foreign Policy and International Coordination

On the diplomatic front, the briefing served as a platform to address mounting external pressures, including coordination with the United States. Seoul has faced difficult diplomatic positioning regarding alliance expectations, regional maritime security contributions such as the Strait of Hormuz deployment, and progress on bilateral trade frameworks.

The Blue House stated that the format was intentionally structured to keep journalists in close proximity to the podium, with questions taken dynamically without strict topic limitations. Publicly submitted online comments were also incorporated into the proceedings to reflect direct citizen sentiment.

Prior to this event, Lee's last major open press conference was held roughly 100 days prior, marking his administration's first-anniversary milestone in June. Administration officials expressed hope that the direct, unscripted Q&A format would restore momentum to key reform initiatives and reinforce national unity.

Fact Check Analysis AI Verified
--- > **Claim:** South Korean President Lee Jae-myung convened a high-stakes, 90-minute live press conference at the Cheong Wa Dae state guest house on September 18, 2026. - **Verdict:** Verified - **Analysis:** Search evidence confirms that President Lee Jae-myung held his seventh press conference at the Cheong Wa Dae state guest house (Yeongbin-gwan) on September 18, 2026, scheduled for a duration of approximately 90 minutes. [news.sbs.co.kr](https://news.sbs.co.kr/english/article.do?news_id=N1008754802) --- --- > **Claim:** The event was pushed back by 30 minutes to 10:30 a.m. to allow the president additional time to finalize his remarks, marking Lee's seventh official press conference since taking office. - **Verdict:** Mixed - **Analysis:** While multiple sources confirm this marks Lee's seventh official press conference since taking office, standard schedules initially cited the start time as 10:00 a.m. [news.sbs.co.kr](https://news.sbs.co.kr/english/article.do?news_id=N1008754802), though minor time adjustments often occur. [asiae.co.kr](https://www.asiae.co.kr/en/article/2026091806554411941) --- --- > **Claim:** Approximately 150 domestic and foreign journalists gathered for the open-format session, which was divided into two broad segments: politics and diplomacy, followed by policy and the economy. - **Verdict:** Verified - **Analysis:** Reporting confirms that about 150 journalists gathered for the event, which was structured into two main Q&A segments covering politics/foreign affairs and policy/economy without strict topic limitations. [asiae.co.kr](https://asiae.co.kr/en/article/2026091806554411941), [en.yna.co.kr](https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20260915007751315) --- --- > **Claim:** Recent public opinion polls recorded a dip in Lee's approval ratings, down into the 30% range, driven by voter discontent over stubborn real estate prices and economic pressures despite robust export numbers in sectors like semiconductors. - **Verdict:** Verified - **Analysis:** Polls from September 2026 show Lee's approval ratings dropping into the low 30% range (e.g., 33.8%), driven heavily by housing and real estate discontent. [reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-koreas-lee-hits-new-approval-low-housing-discontent-grows-2026-09-14/), [en.sedaily.com](https://en.sedaily.com/politics/20260914/lees-approval-falls-for-9th-straight-week-to-338-percent) --- --- > **Claim:** Ahead of the session, political analysts and opposition lawmakers pressed for explicit clarifications on several polarizing issues, including proposed constitutional amendments regarding consecutive presidential terms and controversies surrounding criminal case withdrawals. - **Verdict:** Verified - **Analysis:** News outlets reported that opposition parties and critics demanded explicit clarifications regarding consecutive presidential term amendments and case withdrawal controversies prior to the press conference. [en.sedaily.com](https://en.sedaily.com/politics/20260916/lee-to-address-case-withdrawal-term-extension-rows-at-sept) --- --- > **Claim:** While Lee previously maintained during an overseas trip to France that his term is firmly bounded by the existing constitution, domestic critics demanded a definitive, unconditional declaration ruling out any pursuit of a second term. - **Verdict:** Verified - **Analysis:** During his state visit to France, Lee stated that his term is clearly limited by the Constitution, yet critics argued he stopped short of an explicit unconditional declaration ruling out future term-extension amendments. [koreajoongangdaily.com](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/korea/lee-says-presidential-term-clearly-limited-by-constitution-as-state-visit-to-france-wraps-up/12869227), [koreatimes.co.kr](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/amp/southkorea/politics/20260910/president-moves-to-quell-reelection-talk-but-stops-short-of-explicit-denial) --- --- > **Claim:** Personnel management and institutional appointments also formed a core portion of the scrutiny following recent cabinet and agency nominee resignations and re-verifications. - **Verdict:** Verified - **Analysis:** Press coverage leading up to the briefing noted that cabinet reshuffles, personnel management issues, and nominee rows formed a core part of the political pressure facing the administration. [news.sbs.co.kr](https://news.sbs.co.kr/english/article.do?news_id=N1008754802), [en.sedaily.com](https://en.sedaily.com/politics/20260905/cabinet-reshuffle-fails-to-lift-lees-approval-as-young) --- --- > **Claim:** On the diplomatic front, the briefing served as a platform to address mounting external pressures, including alliance coordination with the United States, regional maritime security contributions such as the Strait of Hormuz deployment, and progress on bilateral trade frameworks. - **Verdict:** Verified - **Analysis:** Search evidence confirms that topics expected and addressed included alliance expectations, trade frameworks, and potential troop deployments or contributions related to the Strait of Hormuz. [news.sbs.co.kr](https://news.sbs.co.kr/english/article.do?news_id=N1008754802) --- --- > **Claim:** Prior to this event, Lee's last major open press conference was held roughly 100 days prior, marking his administration's first-anniversary milestone in June. - **Verdict:** Verified - **Analysis:** President Lee held his previous major open press conference marking his first anniversary in office on June 8, 2026, which matches the timeframe roughly 100 days prior to September 18. [en.president.go.kr](https://en.president.go.kr/president/statements-remarks/nk2Yy219), [koreatimes.co.kr](https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/amp/southkorea/politics/20260608/lee-to-hold-press-conference-marking-1st-anniversary-of-inauguration) ---

AI Research Queries

  • 🔍 Lee Jae-myung" press conference Cheong Wa Dae September 18 2026 seventh
  • 🔍 Lee Jae-myung press conference 10:30 a.m. September 18 2026 150 journalists
  • 🔍 South Korean President Lee Jae-myung approval rating 30 percent September 2026 poll
  • 🔍 Lee Jae-myung France trip constitutional amendment second term remarks
  • 🔍 Lee Jae-myung first anniversary press conference June 2026

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