Seoul: For the first time, the government's annual policy briefings outlining the Lee Jae Myung administration's direction for the coming year are being broadcast live. The intent is laudable: to inform the public transparently of policy plans and to have the president pose direct questions that spur the civil service into action. Yet controversy has followed a series of inappropriate remarks by President Lee during his questioning and reprimands.
According to Yonhap News Agency, during a briefing by the Incheon International Airport Corporation on Dec. 12, President Lee questioned CEO Lee Hak-jae about the possibility of smuggling tens of thousands of dollars abroad by hiding $100 bills between book pages. When Lee Hak-jae avoided a direct answer, President Lee pressed him sharply, demanding to know whether illegal currency outflows were being properly screened. This line of questioning was misplaced, as foreign currency enforcement is the responsibility of the Korea Customs Service, not the airport operator. The president's suggestion to search all books carried by departing passengers was similarly inappropriate and could lead to serious congestion at departure gates. Remarks such as "you're being evasive," "are you off relaxing somewhere else," and "you seem to know less than I do" were criticized as falling short of the restraint and authority expected of a president.
The controversy was further compounded by President Lee's reference to the "dollars hidden in books" method, which was reportedly used in a 2019 North Korea remittance case. In that incident, more than 60 employees of Ssangbangwool Group allegedly smuggled $8 million to Shenyang, China. President Lee himself was indicted as an alleged accomplice following a prosecution investigation. Critics argue that the reference risked unnecessary misunderstanding and should have been avoided.
On the same day, another controversy arose during briefings by the Education Ministry and other agencies. President Lee raised the "Hwanppa debate" in history education, citing "Hwandan Gogi." When Park Ji-hyang, chair of the Northeast Asian History Foundation, stated that the foundation prioritizes documentary evidence, President Lee questioned whether "Hwandan Gogi" was not also a historic text. Since the work is widely regarded by scholars as a forgery, the president's comments were criticized as lending undue weight to fringe views. Presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-jun clarified on Dec. 14 that the remarks did not indicate agreement with or endorsement of research into the text, highlighting the sensitivity of the issue.
While live broadcasts of ministerial briefings, with the president posing questions on behalf of the public, are in principle commendable, they should focus on policy substance that citizens need to understand. Unnecessary political interrogations invite needless controversy. Excessive rebukes directed at heads of public institutions appointed by the previous administration could be seen as pressure to step down and should be avoided. Government briefings should aim to strengthen transparency and policy momentum, serving as a forum for communication between the president and ministries or public agencies, and not as a stage for confrontation that erodes trust.