Opposition lawmaker criticizes president's economic outlook after 1-year mark

Opposition lawmaker Ahn Cheol-soo sharply criticized President Lee Jae-myung's first-year press conference, asserting that the nation is now facing economic difficulties.

Ahn stated that the promises of economic prosperity made by President Lee have not materialized. Instead, he argued, South Korea stands at a crossroads of economic struggle. He specifically targeted the president's remarks on the won-dollar exchange rate, which has surpassed 1,500 won. Ahn characterized the president's description of the rate as a "temporary phenomenon" as a sign of the administration's shallow understanding of economic realities.

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The exchange rate is no longer a one-off shock.

"The exchange rate is no longer a one-off shock," Ahn declared. He highlighted that the U.S. Treasury Department redesignated South Korea as a currency monitoring country in January 2026. Furthermore, the exchange rate recently hit an intraday high of 1,561 won, reaching its highest point in 17 years since the 2009 financial crisis.

Ahn dismissed the president's attempt to frame the severe economic situation as merely "temporary." He contended that such a statement is not a policy diagnosis but a "low-level self-consolation." The lawmaker suggested that the president's explanation for the high exchange rate, attributing it to the stock market's significant rise, was insufficient and failed to address the core issues.

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Such a statement is not a policy diagnosis but a low-level self-consolation.