President Yoon to deliver public address on Thursday

President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a meeting with delegates from five Central Asian countries visiting Seoul for a regional forum at the Yongsan presidential office Monday. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

President Yoon Suk Yeol will give a public address and hold a press conference on Thursday, the presidential office said Monday.  
 
Yoon's speech is expected to outline his policy vision for the second half of his presidency, including his four major reform initiatives, as he marks the midpoint of his five-year term.  
 

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This comes amid a series of controversies surrounding Yoon, including allegations involving first lady Kim Keon Hee. The presidential couple has faced allegations that they had intervened in the People Power Party's (PPP) candidate nominations in elections.  
 
On Monday, Yoon didn't appear in person to deliver a parliamentary address on next year's budget, and his speech was read instead by Prime Minister Han Duck-soo at the National Assembly. This marked the first time in some 12 years a prime minister had delivered the president's budget address.
 
Yoon's approval rating fell to a record low of 19 percent in a Gallup Korea poll released Friday.
 
PPP chief Han Dong-hoon in a supreme council meeting on Monday called on Yoon to apologize and undertake a personnel shake-up within his administration to address allegations of wrongdoing by first lady Kim.  
 

BY SARAH KIM [kim.sarah@joongang.co.kr]