[Anchor]

Next, we turn to the economy. President Lee Jae-myung acknowledged that "there were shortcomings" in the introduction of single-stock leveraged ETFs, but stated that he has not yet identified what process was followed and who made the decision. He was also optimistic that Seoul's real estate prices will gradually stabilize through government policies.

Reporter Park Jae-yeon reports.

[Reporter]

When asked whether he believed the decision to introduce single-stock leveraged ETFs—which have faced criticism for increasing volatility in the domestic stock market—was wrong, President Lee Jae-myung responded that criticism is valid even though it is currently not an issue due to supplementary measures, stating as follows:

[President Lee Jae-myung: "I wonder if there was some instability in government policy. I think it is true that there were shortcomings."]

Conservative opposition parties and critics argue that figures including Kim Yong-beom, former Blue House chief of staff for policy, led and pushed forward the introduction of leveraged ETFs, but President Lee stated only this regarding the introduction process and accountability:

[President Lee Jae-myung: "I have not yet identified the specific procedural details of what process was used to make that decision. Someone must have made the decision."]

Regarding the Seoul real estate issue, he repeatedly emphasized his commitment to balanced regional development and expanding supply, saying that concentration in the capital region is the fundamental cause.

He also analyzed that price declines are spreading across the Gangnam area while peripheral areas are rising, stating:

[President Lee Jae-myung: "Gangnam is at the peak while other places are low like this, and it seems a kind of 'flattening process' is taking place where prices here are falling and prices there are rising slightly."]

The Blue House further elaborated on this "flattening process" remark, calling it an "explanation of price movement trends" and adding that it "takes seriously the situation where the burden on the public has grown."

Regarding the jeonse system, the following question-and-answer exchange took place:

[President Lee Jae-myung: "(You previously said that (jeonse) is a system that should gradually disappear.) I said it will disappear; when did I say it should disappear?"]

President Lee Jae-myung also predicted that the real estate market will gradually stabilize through all possible measures, including regulations, supply, and tax policies, drawing assessments that this press conference emphasized consistency rather than a shift in real estate policy stance.

(Video by Jeong Sang-bo and Ha Ryung | Video Editing by Jeon Mingyu)