President Yoon Suk-yeol answers reporters' questions after arriving at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Nov. 10. Korea Times photo by Seo Jae-hoon

By Nam Hyun-woo

The presidential office on Sunday set up a wooden wall in the lobby area where President Yoon Suk-yeol usually answers reporters' questions on his way to work.

The administration explained that the wall was set up for security reasons. But the move is widely viewed as a reaction to a recent incident where an MBC reporter shouted a question at the president as he walked away over his comments that the broadcaster harmed national interests by allegedly airing fake news. The incident led to a verbal altercation between the journalist and the presidential secretary for public relations planning.

Yoon's daily interview session, or door-stepping, takes place at an open space at the lobby of the presidential office, which is usually off limits except when reporters are allowed to wait there to ask the president questions. The wall was set up between the off-limits space and the areas open to reporters.

The wall has a small entrance which allows reporters to enter inside the door-stepping area. However, it has now become impossible to view the president from behind the wall.