▲ 윤석열 대통령     ©대통령실

윤석열 대통령이 3일 '104세 철학자' 김형석 연세대 명예교수(104세)와 오찬을 함께하며 주요 국정현안에 관한 조언을 들었다고 대통령실이 전했다.

윤 대통령은 이날 용산 대통령실에 김 교수를 초청해 오찬을 함께 했다고 김수경 대통령실 대변인이 오후 서면브리핑에서 전했다.

윤 대통령은 이 자리에서 "3년 전 이맘때 찾아뵙고 좋은 말씀을 들은 적 있다"며 "취임 후 빨리 모시고 싶었는데 이제야 모시게 됐다"고 먼저 인사를 전했다.

김 교수는 지난 2년간의 윤석열 정부 정책을 평가한 가운데 의대 증원 갈등 관련 전공의 이탈 문제에 "나도 교수지만 의대 교수들이 전공의 집단행동을 만류하기는커녕 단체로 사직서를 제출하는 등 집단 동조하는 모습은 바람직하지 않다"며 "실망스럽다"고 밝혔다.

또 한·일관계 정상화 관련해선 "어려운 일인데 정말 잘 해내셨다"고 말했다.

더불어 소득주도성장·재정 포퓰리즘·탈원전·집값 폭등·보유세 폭탄 등 지난 문재인 정부 정책 문제점을 지적 후 "지금까진 윤 대통령이 전 정부 실정을 바로 잡는 데 애썼다면 총선 후엔 자유민주주의 가치를 여러 분야서 제대로 실현했으면 좋겠다"고 제언했다.

오찬 후 윤 대통령은 김 교수에게 집무실·정상회담장·국무회의장 등 대통령실 주요 공간을 소개한 가운데 김 교수는 "청와대에 가본 적 있는데 용산 집무실이 더 나은 것 같다"고 했고, 윤 대통령은 "용산으로 이전 후 참모들과 한 건물에 있다 보니 늘 소통할 수 있어 좋다"고 대답했다.

윤 대통령은 지난 2021년 3월 검찰총장 사퇴 후 2주 만에 김 교수를 만나 대화를 나눈 적 있는 가운데 대권 도전 자세·마음가짐 등 큰 축을 그린 것으로 알려졌다.

김 대변인은 "윤 대통령은 평소 김 교수 저서 '백년을 살아보니' 등을 읽고 존경심을 밝혀 왔다"고 전했다.

*아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation.

Professor Kim Hyeong-seok, the '100-year-old philosopher' who met with President Yoon Seok-yeol, said, "I am disappointed in the resignation of a medical school professor."

“It is undesirable for medical school professors to show group sympathy, such as submitting resignation letters as a group rather than dissuading residents from taking collective action.”

-kihong Kim reporter

The President's Office reported that President Yoon Seok-yeol had lunch with the '100-year-old philosopher' Professor Emeritus Kim Hyeong-seok of Yonsei University (104) on the 3rd and received advice on major national affairs.

President Yoon invited Professor Kim to the Presidential Office in Yongsan and had lunch with him, Presidential Office Spokesperson Kim Soo-kyung reported in a written briefing in the afternoon.

At this event, President Yoon first said hello, saying, "I visited you around this time three years ago and heard good things about you," and added, "I wanted to see you as soon as possible after taking office, but now I can."

While evaluating the policies of the Yoon Seok-yeol government over the past two years, Professor Kim responded to the issue of residents leaving due to the conflict over the increase in medical schools by saying, "I am a professor too, but the sight of medical school professors not dissuading residents from taking collective action, but instead sympathizing with the residents by submitting resignation letters as a group, is a shame." “It is not desirable,” he said, adding, “It is disappointing.”

Regarding the normalization of Korea-Japan relations, he also said, "It was a difficult task, but you did it really well."

In addition, after pointing out problems with the past Moon Jae-in administration's policies, such as income-led growth, fiscal populism, nuclear power plant phase-out, skyrocketing housing prices, and property tax bombs, he said, "If President Yoon has made efforts to correct the previous government's misfortunes so far, after the general election, he will properly promote the values of liberal democracy in various fields." “I hope it comes true,” he suggested.

After the luncheon, President Yoon introduced Professor Kim to the main spaces of the Presidential Office, including the office, summit hall, and cabinet meeting room. Professor Kim said, "I have been to the Blue House before, and I think the Yongsan office is better," and President Yoon said, "I will go to Yongsan." “It’s nice to be able to communicate all the time because I’m in the same building with my staff after the move,” he said.

It is known that President Yoon met with Professor Kim and had a conversation two weeks after his resignation as Prosecutor General in March 2021, and drew major axes such as his stance and mindset to run for the presidency.

Spokesperson Kim said, “President Yoon has always read Professor Kim’s books, ‘After Living for 100 Years,’ and expressed his respect for him.”