Lee to launch YouTube show ‘The President’s Y’

President Lee Jae Myung is launching a new YouTube show to communicate directly with the public, answering citizens’ questions and explaining government policies in a more informal setting, Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday.

The program, titled “The President’s Y,” will debut Thursday at 9 p.m. on two YouTube channels: Lee+Imagine, operated by state-run broadcaster KTV, and Lee Jae Myung TV, the president’s official YouTube channel.

Since taking office, Lee has held 23 news conferences or informal meetings with reporters and has regularly communicated with the public through social media, according to the presidential office.

“Building on these efforts, we have created a program to answer the public’s questions and explain government policies through YouTube, one of the new media platforms,” Senior Presidential Secretary for Public Relations and Communication Seong Ghi-hong said during a press briefing at the Chunchugwan press center in Seoul.

The program’s title reflects Lee’s push to expand his online outreach while offering a glimpse into the reasoning behind his decisions.

“Y is the first letter of YouTube. The name reflects our intention to communicate with the public in more diverse and in-depth ways through YouTube’s Y, building on our communication through X, formerly Twitter,” Seong said. “Y also represents ‘why,’ reflecting our intention to fully explain the president’s thinking and the reasons behind his policy decisions and approach to governing.”

Lee recorded the first episode Wednesday morning. The roughly 30-minute broadcast will focus largely on his philosophy of public communication.

Future episodes will address current affairs, explain government policies and feature responses to comments posted by citizens on Lee’s social media accounts.

“Given the nature of YouTube, the president will express his views as candidly as possible and answer questions from the public in a relaxed setting, using language ordinary people can relate to, unlike in speeches or formal government meetings,” Seong said.

The show will be hosted by Son Jung-eun, a former MBC television anchor who now heads Soul Bridge ENT. She will pose questions to Lee on behalf of the public.

The presidential office plans to release new episodes every two to three weeks, Seong said.

The presidential office plans to release new episodes every two to three weeks, Seong said.

The show will initially be prerecorded, but live broadcasts could be introduced in the future, a senior presidential official said on condition of anonymity.

“We are starting with a recorded program, but going live is also an option under consideration,” the official said, adding that the first episode was unlikely to undergo extensive editing.

The presidential office did not specify how questions would be selected or whether they would be solicited directly from the public.

When asked about the selection process, the official instead called for feedback after the show airs.

“We ask you to assess whether the questions genuinely address what the public wants to know, rather than simply flattering the president, and whether they are asked from a critical perspective,” the official said.