[Joo Young-jin's News Briefing]

When quoting this interview, please clearly credit the program 'SBS <Joo Young-jin's News Briefing>'. Copyright belongs to SBS.

■ Broadcast: SBS <Joo Young-jin's News Briefing> Mon–Fri (14:00–15:20)
■ Host: Anchor Joo Young-jin
■ Guest: Kang Yu-jung, Senior Presidential Press Secretary
--------------------------------------------

● Interview with Kang Yu-jung, Senior Presidential Press Secretary

"President Lee Attempted to Invite Former President Moon to Last Year's National Appointment Ceremony, but It Fell Through"
"Lunch Menu Bibimbap Delivers Message of Unity... Meeting Focused on Inviting Former President Moon"
"It is the President's Duty to Address the Disappointment and Regret of Regions Excluded from the 'Mega Projects'"
"Moving Forward While Considering Both Regret and Balance is Unity in a Broader Sense"
"Honam Has Not Been Chosen Much in the Past... Ironically, This Increases the Options for Resolving Site Issues"
"President Lee Has Consistently Said Balanced Development is Impossible with Just a Few Support Measures"
"Honam is Where Corporate Choice Aligned with the Government's Proposal for the Nation's Long-term Plan"
"Investment Capacity for Regional Change Was Already Prepared for the Gwangju-Jeonnam Integration"
"Kim Min-seok's Last Cabinet Meeting... Natural for Well-wishes and Farewells to be Exchanged"
"What President Lee Wants is Diverse Direct Communication, Which He Still Feels is Insufficient"

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: We are joined by Kang Yu-jung, Senior Presidential Press Secretary. Welcome.

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: It has been a while.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: Indeed, it has. A year has already flown by.

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: A year and another month, actually.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: That's right, 13 months.

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: Yes, indeed.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: You were one of the very first to start this journey alongside the president, although it's not a position with a fixed term, correct?

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: Yes, that's right. When the president personally appointed me, he introduced me and metaphorically placed the shackles on me himself.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: Regarding today's lunch with former President Moon Jae-in, Cheong Wa Dae stated that they had been steadily preparing for this since immediately after taking office, but due to so many pending issues, it finally happened after a year. However, Representative Youn Kun-young mentioned that the official proposal was received around last Monday. What is the factual situation as you understand it, Secretary Kang?

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: There was a time when some misunderstood or incorrect information was circulating from our perspective. On August 15 last year, after the president began his duties, we held a "National Appointment Ceremony" instead of a traditional inauguration.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: Last year.

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: At that time, South Korea was practically torn apart due to internal rebellion. Rather than that issue being properly resolved, there were still many who had not severed ties with the rebellious forces. Amidst such unclear judgments, the Lee Jae-myung Sovereign Citizen Government was launched. While it was a National Appointment Ceremony, it was also an event that emphasized a major message of unity—that the president represents the Republic of Korea as a whole, rather than any specific political faction or region. We considered inviting all former presidents at that time, but unfortunately, it fell through. Even then, former President Moon actually expressed his intention to participate. After that, we tried to arrange a separate meeting with former President Moon, but there were so many pending issues. We have been running the Lee Jae-myung administration and the Sovereign Citizen Government for nearly 400 days, taking responsibility and putting in effort. Out of those, we spent nearly 150 days responding to the war in the Middle East. With the complex international situation, our FTA issues, various tariff issues with the U.S., and the process leading up to the fact sheet, there were many complicated matters. This caused some delays, but we have finally set a date.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: Listening to you, it sounds like there hasn't been a single peaceful day.

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: As the Lee Jae-myung administration responsible for state affairs, it is inevitable. It would have been the same for any administration. I suspect this topic might have come up during today's conversation with former President Moon, but pending issues always seem to pile up for any government at any time.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: Typically, when meeting former presidents—and today is practically the first time—there will likely be quite a few such occasions during the term. Whenever these meetings happen, or when meeting leaders of the ruling and opposition parties, reporters always ask, "What is today's menu?" And you prepare for that. But I wonder how the menu is decided. Does the president personally think about the menu, or does the First Lady? Or does the chef at Cheong Wa Dae handle it as a whole, incorporating political implications? How does it work?

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: It can be called soft power. In fact, the implicit meaning conveyed through soft power can be even greater. Looking at today's menu, former President Moon likes fish and seafood. So, a dish featuring croaker (min-eo) was prepared. The reason we chose bibimbap as the main theme is that its ingredients mix harmoniously together. Yet, how wonderful and grand does it taste? It is also our traditional food. Through bibimbap, we wanted to deliver a message of unity. Also, we invited former President Moon to Cheong Wa Dae this time. It is a space where he used to reside. Looking back, while this space was opened to many people by former President Yoon Suk-yeol, it had distanced itself from being a space that showcases national dignity during that period. We thought he might be even more curious about it, so this meeting was focused heavily on the invitation.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: Many people might think that the previous administration tried to change the space of Cheong Wa Dae too easily, considering the continuity of the South Korean government and its significance as the workplace for the president, who is a symbolic figure of national unity. Of course, many people were curious about Cheong Wa Dae and visited to see it. Even now, is it still open to tourists, with certain areas fully accessible? How is it?

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: Since the president moved his workspace here around late December last year, general access is limited, though areas like Sarangchae remain part of the originally opened public spaces. This is because it is now an active workspace. As you mentioned, Cheong Wa Dae is a space rich in history. I once walked along the trail behind it under the guidance of the Presidential Security Service. Every single corner is history—for instance, there is a Buddhist statue that was relocated from Namsan in Gyeongju during the Japanese colonial period. During our last visit to Italy, we had a dinner and major events at the Presidential Palace (Quirinal Palace), and they explained that before the current government was established in 1861, it was originally where the Pope lived. Similarly, Cheong Wa Dae represents the continuity of government, but it is also a space where history coexists. This made me realize that decisions regarding relocation or choices about this space are not issues that a president can decide solely as an individual.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: We often refer to it as a history of glory and disgrace, and Cheong Wa Dae holds both.

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: It certainly does.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: That is why it has stories and things to share with the public and visiting foreign heads of state.

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: Exactly.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: I feel that way too. Hearing about the conversation between former President Moon Jae-in and President Lee Jae-myung today, former President Moon emphasized that party unity is important and that they must first work together with the candlelight forces. On the other hand, President Lee agreed that it is very important, but stressed that we must now become a structural majority, given our experience of holding power to this extent. He reaffirmed his determination to be a president for everyone. Reporters might interpret this as a slight difference in perspective. Since you are in a position to constantly hear President Lee's thoughts and words from the closest distance, how do you see his vision of being "a president for all citizens"? It is certainly not something that can be achieved through words alone, and the president likely knows this better than anyone.

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: This week, we presented the blueprint for the "Three Mega Projects," which I believe will bring about a complete transformation—a revolutionary event that will change the map of our country in 10 or 20 years, like mulberry fields turning into the deep blue sea. When setting such a massive task, the words that resonated with me the most were about the feelings of regret and disappointment that are bound to remain in regions not included in this announcement. In that sense, the concept of a "greater Republic of Korea" and "greater unity" mentioned by the president stems from the shared desire of everyone to build a better nation. However, at every moment—for instance, yesterday he visited the southwestern region, tomorrow he will visit the Chungcheong region, and the day after that he will visit the Yeongnam region—when we map it out, there will still be areas left off the map. Addressing the disappointment and regret of those regions is also the president's responsibility. Therefore, this concept of unity ultimately means moving forward while considering both regret and balance, ensuring that no lingering feelings of being left behind or misunderstandings remain. I believe this is unity in a broader sense. We certainly take former President Moon's words to heart. However, in the end, the president likely views the process of carrying out the difficult task of moving forward while minimizing misunderstandings and regrets as the true meaning of unity.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: Since you mentioned the Three Mega Projects, I must ask about them. It would be wonderful if Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix factories, research institutions, and laboratories could be built all across South Korea, but the reality is that it is not possible. For semiconductors, you need land, power, and talent, which the public has now come to understand. For the southwestern region, Honam, and Gwangju, Samsung Electronics designated Gwangju as a candidate site. Regarding the decision-making process, listening to President Lee's explanation yesterday, looking at the overall history, having these facilities go to Honam is merely a "drop in the bucket." However, looking at this issue alone, people might think a massive benefit was given to Honam, though he said that is not the case. From your perspective, the president must have constantly communicated with the heads of Samsung and SK before this decision was made. Could you clarify the facts for us?

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: Setting aside all the details, even when building on a piece of land, resolving issues like land compensation and various conflicting interests is actually the most difficult part.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: Indeed, all of that has to be resolved.

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: Explaining and resolving those conflicts of interest is harder than the actual construction. In a way, this is quite ironic. Because Honam did not have many opportunities and was not chosen often in the past, the historical footprint actually left more options to resolve site issues relatively smoothly. On the other hand, it retains its natural environment, meaning it has abundant wind and sunlight for the renewable energy we need to prepare for initiatives like RE100. Regarding the water issue, which many have asked about, it is not an environmental issue of building new dams, but rather expanding existing ones—increasing their capacity. Honam was selected because it is a place where such operations, with all these factors kept in mind, are possible. Ironically, having received no benefits in the past made it the place where all these things could go. Since taking office, the president has consistently said that balanced national development is absolutely impossible just because a few symbolic companies relocate or a few support measures are provided. He believed that balanced regional development can only be achieved through a full package that includes living conditions, cultural environments, livelihoods, and educational conditions. We have pondered this since the launch of the administration. To shape the future, key industrial sectors had to be addressed. As we resolved these issues one by one, semiconductors entered a massive boom cycle. In many aspects, this industry, driven by AI and other technologies, is not a dying business but one with far greater utility in its cycle. When all these factors aligned, Honam became the place where the choices of corporations—who made the most calculated business decisions—and the government's proposal for the nation's long-term plan came together.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: That was indeed the most frequent question from reporters, and many articles focused on whether there is enough water to support semiconductor fabs in Honam. There were many explanations on this, but the People Power Party and other critics continue to raise the issue. Cheong Wa Dae and the government must have continuously discussed water and electricity issues with the corporations, and since you reached the conclusion that there would be no major issues, the announcement was made, correct?

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: First, under the electricity supply and demand plan, all available energy sources—including renewable energy, nuclear power, and hydrogen—as well as flexibility factors like ESS, are fully verifiable. Currently, there is a surplus in power generation, so the Honam region actually faced the issue of how to sell its excess electricity. The transmission grid was more of a problem; if the cost of transmitting electricity is higher than the cost of selling it, it is better to consume it locally under the principle of "produce locally, consume locally." Now, a consumption site is being established right where the power is produced. In the end, this is a highly economical choice. New facility work is also underway. A detailed supply plan will be announced soon in the 12th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand, so it would be good to keep an eye on that. Regarding the Yeongsan River and Seomjin River basins, some have raised concerns about a relative shortage of water. The industrial complex requires about 650,000 tons of water. However, by raising the dam height at Dongbok Dam—similar to expanding a building, as I mentioned earlier—and combining the water volumes of existing dams like Juam Dam and Jangheung Dam, we verified that practically 1.0 million tons can be supplied. I understand that various verifications and reviews concluded that the 650,000 tons required for the fab construction and operations can be fully secured.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: Is building or expanding nuclear power plants also under consideration?

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: I understand that such options, including the entry of new facilities, were reviewed together.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: Then that would be a somewhat long-term measure. This policy seems to differ slightly from that of the Moon Jae-in administration, so reporters might be interested and ask about it. "Are we building more nuclear plants? Didn't the Moon Jae-in administration say they wouldn't do this?" Such questions might arise.

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: Meeting RE100 targets is extremely important for us, so we can start where there is sufficient capacity in renewable energy and ESS, while also keeping the possibility of additional facilities open.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: Understood. Since you mentioned the Three Mega Projects this week, the president will also visit the Chungcheong and Yeongnam regions. People will likely pay close attention to what the president says to the regions that might feel left out.

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: Yes. As you may have heard from the announcement, while yesterday's focus on the overall semiconductor system, or fabs, was in the Honam region, the Chungcheong region will handle packaging-related industries, and the Yeongnam region will handle materials, parts, and equipment (MPE) and related derivative businesses. So, we are looking at 800 trillion won for the Honam region, about 390 trillion won—roughly 400 trillion won—for the Chungcheong region, and about 300 trillion won for MPE in the Yeongnam region. Even a rough calculation brings it to about 1,500 trillion won. The numbers are so massive they can be confusing even to me. The reason corporations are talking about 4,500 to 4,700 trillion won is that we still have second and third rounds of announcements left. Therefore, even for regions not included yet, there is plenty of opportunity. What I want to emphasize most is that with the Gwangju-Jeonnam integration, the local governments were already prepared for integration, with an investment capacity of at least 5 trillion to 20 trillion won to drive regional change. If administrative changes follow, other regions will also have plenty of capacity left—to the point where other regions might feel envious.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: Hearing that, it makes me think that discussions on integration for Daejeon-Chungnam and Daegu-Gyeongbuk should also be held as new metropolitan governments are established. Since you are here, I must ask this question. Recently, the president has consistently made remarks highly evaluating former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok and assessing the party's internal situation and election results. Consequently, articles keep appearing suggesting that President Lee Jae-myung would prefer former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok over former Representative Jung Chung-rae in the party leadership race. The president has never explicitly said so, as it could spark controversy over interference in party affairs. However, knowing that such controversy could arise, the fact that the president makes these remarks in response to reporters' questions makes the public feel that this is indeed his preference. As the Senior Press Secretary, did you perhaps worry and wish he would be more cautious with such remarks? What is the overall atmosphere in Cheong Wa Dae, and what are the president's true intentions?

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: It is not easy for us to guess or speak about the president's inner thoughts. Nevertheless, yesterday was Kim Min-seok's last Cabinet meeting as Prime Minister. Naturally, in any workplace, when our senior secretaries or secretaries leave their positions, it is customary to exchange warm words and greetings, thanking them for their hard work and dedication day and night since the beginning of our Sovereign Citizen Government. I would first like to say that human life is not much different. Furthermore, what the president desires is diverse direct communication. He still feels it is insufficient. For instance, in diplomacy, we still maintain somewhat conservative protocols. Meanwhile, other foreign leaders are already filming vlogs or videos and uploading them directly to their personal social media accounts, bypassing broadcasting media entirely. This direct communication has aspects of content and messaging, but also speed and media diversity. The president is always somewhat thirsty for direct communication. In that sense, he responds and reacts to various pending issues, and perhaps he made those remarks because yesterday was former Prime Minister Kim Min-seok's last day attending the Cabinet meeting.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: You don't know about all of the president's posts on X beforehand, do you? Do you usually find out after they are posted?

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: That is also a professional secret, but I will confess that I do not know all of them in advance.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: Still, when you see the posts, they do align with the thoughts you usually hear from him.

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: They do not seem very different from what we usually hear.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: Understood. Thank you, Secretary Kang, for taking the time to join us today despite your busy schedule. There is so much more I wanted to ask, but time has flown by so quickly.

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: I am always happy to come here. It is wonderful to see you, Director.

[Anchor] Joo Young-jin: Thank you. It was great speaking with you today. Please continue to effectively communicate the president's thoughts and state affairs to the public. Thank you.

[Senior Press Secretary] Kang Yu-jung: Thank you.

※ For more details, please watch the video.