New Year’s Address by Acting President Choi Sang-mok

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean Acting President Choi Sang-mok called for national harmony and unity, as well as trust in the government during a New Year’s address on Tuesday. This comes amid a political crisis sparked by impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol‘s brief martial law declaration.

> “The Republic of Korea is in an unprecedentedly serious situation,” Choi stated in a written statement. He referenced global trade, diplomatic shifts, security challenges, and domestic political uncertainty.

Choi emphasized that the government would strive for stability in defense, diplomacy, economy, and societal affairs to reassure the citizens.

Having become the acting leader on Friday night following the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who had been the acting president since Yoon’s suspension from power on December 14, Choi is now fulfilling multiple crucial roles. These include acting president, acting prime minister, deputy prime minister for economic affairs, and finance minister. Additionally, he has been leading the minister-level central disaster control team following a tragic plane crash that resulted in 179 fatalities.

He pledged efforts toward national harmony, promising close communication with politicians from both ruling and opposition parties as well as social leaders, and appealed for the trust of citizens and businesses.

Moreover, Choi assured that the alliance with the United States would remain strong and the government would swiftly address any foreign affairs, security, or trade issues once U.S. President-elect Donald Trump assumes office in January.

Regarding the economy, Choi announced that timely support measures for small businesses and the self-employed would be introduced to boost domestic demand, while also ensuring the stability of financial and foreign exchange markets through collaboration with relevant agencies.