President Lee: "Preparing for the KOSPI 5000 Era... Fully Committed to Restoring Livelihoods" [Full Statement]

President Lee Jae-myung, in his opening remarks at the "30 Days of the President: The Press Asks, the People Get Answers" press conference held at the State Guest House of Cheong Wa Dae on the 3rd, stated, "The top priority is reducing the burden on people's livelihoods and building a nation that can grow and leap forward once again." President Lee emphasized, "We will spare no investment in future industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, renewable energy, and the cultural industry," adding, "We will prepare for the 'KOSPI 5000 era.'"

He said, "It has been a month since the new government was launched amid a national crisis," and shared, "I have been running tirelessly, etching in my heart the earnest desires of the people as we cross the waves of national hardship together."

President Lee cited five major achievements from the past month: △Recovery of livelihoods and economy alongside the formulation of the supplementary budget △Participation in the Group of Seven (G7) summit △Establishment of a government based on popular sovereignty △Righteous integration △Securing peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

He said, "Just as North Korea responded to the government’s preemptive suspension of broadcasts towards the North, a virtuous cycle of peace is entirely possible. We will reconnect inter-Korean communication and open the path to peace and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and cooperation."

President Lee particularly stated, "We have begun the journey toward righteous integration. I expect the three special prosecutors, already launched, to play a key role—by fully ending the rebellion and rebuilding constitutional order and democracy, as commanded by the people."

President Lee pledged to actively reflect the people’s voices in government affairs. He stressed, "We will make direct communication with the people a daily and institutionalized practice, fully reflecting it in state administration, and move toward a truly 'people-centered nation.'"

The following is the full text of President Lee's opening remarks.

Dear citizens whom I love and respect, it has now been one month since the new government, launched in the midst of a national crisis, has set sail without a moment to breathe.

For the past thirty days, I have engraved in my heart, every moment, the fervent desires of the people crossing the waves of national hardship together, and have run ceaselessly through each day.

Above all, we are devoting all our efforts to restoring collapsed livelihoods. Upon inauguration, my 'first order' was to immediately launch the 'Emergency Economic Monitoring Task Force' to gather wisdom and find solutions to revive the livelihood economy. At this crucial time, when an active and bold role for national finance is more important than ever, we have put together a supplementary budget of 30.5 trillion won more quickly than any previous administration. I hope the swift passage of the supplementary budget in the National Assembly will serve as the priming water for economic recovery and the stimulation of domestic consumption.

Secondly, we have returned to the international stage, declaring the "Return of Democratic Korea." At the G7 summit, we announced to the world the restoration of democracy, the restoration of the economy, and the resumption of summit diplomacy. Thanks to the power of our great people, the Republic of Korea has restored national prestige and expanded the horizons of diplomacy. The Korea-U.S. trade negotiations, one of the major pending issues, will also be pushed to derive mutually beneficial and feasible results based on the principle of 'national interest-centered practical diplomacy.'

Thirdly, we have taken the first step in the 'popular sovereignty government', where the will of the sovereign is reflected regularly in state governance. Starting with the 'Citizen Recommendation System' and the 'National Mailbox', as well as the Gwangju-Jeonnam town hall meetings, we will use the voices of citizens from every corner of the nation as our guiding compass in governance.

Fourthly, we have embarked on the journey toward 'righteous integration.' The three special prosecutors, already established, are expected to play a key role in fully ending the rebellion and rebuilding constitutional order and democracy, as mandated by the public.

Fifthly, with peace and stability secured on the Korean Peninsula, we have taken the first step toward a nation where the people's daily lives are unshaken. Starting with the severance of the tense link of inter-Korean propaganda broadcasts that had kept border area residents awake at night, we will work to restore the virtuous cycle where peace leads to economic growth and the economy, in turn, fortifies peace.

Respected citizens, while we have managed to open the first breakthrough in national normalization with great effort, the path ahead remains steep and arduous. Internally, we face complex crises layered on multiple fronts, while externally, a civilizational and historical transformation is threatening our survival.

For the remaining 4 years and 11 months, we will do our utmost to fulfill the people's solemn mandate to take the lead in change, overcome the immediate crisis, and open windows of infinite opportunity.

Firstly, the top priority is to ease burdens on livelihoods and build a nation that can grow and leap forward again. We will mobilize every possible measure to stabilize people's lives and reduce the cost-of-living burdens. Beyond today’s difficulties, we must prepare sustainable growth engines to open an era of shared prosperity.

From advanced technological industries such as AI and semiconductors to the renewable energy industry, including green energy highways, and the cultural industry, we will spare no investment for the future. We will prepare for the "KOSPI 5,000 era" through the modernization of the capital market, which is the core platform for growth, so that innovation-led growth can gain strong momentum.

We will ensure our companies lead the global market and that our people have opportunities to invest in growing enterprises, thereby increasing national wealth. We will do everything possible to revive the virtuous cycle in the economy, so that idle funds flow from unproductive to productive sectors. We will make every effort to stabilize the real estate market with effective measures, under the basic principle of respecting market mechanisms and protecting genuine demand.

We will achieve 'balanced regional development' to overcome the one-pole system centered on the capital area and accomplish 'balanced industrial development,' where large, medium, and small companies and both established and start-up ventures cooperate and coexist, achieving 'growth for all.' As with the provision of consumption coupons that especially considered areas at risk of extinction, all state policies will more fully take into account regional needs.

Secondly, we will protect every aspect of the people's lives with a thick 'social safety mattress.' A nation where you can rise again even if you fall or fail is one where recovery, growth, and innovation are all possible. We will build an even more robust social safety net to protect those vulnerable to the waves of the livelihood economy and advance towards a society that guarantees the basics for all citizens.

Thirdly, we will fulfill the state's foremost responsibility to ensure people’s safe and peaceful everyday lives. From investigating major social disasters to devising measures to prevent industrial accidents from recurring, we will not shirk our duty to build a safe society. We will transform workplaces of death into workplaces of life, so that never again will bereaved families wail in the streets.

Peace is essential for national safety and happiness. Just as North Korea responded to the government’s preemptive cessation of broadcasts, a virtuous cycle of peace is always possible. The Republic of Korea is a military powerhouse, spending 1.4 times North Korea’s GDP on defense, ranking 5th in global military strength.

While thoroughly preparing against provocations based on robust military strength, we will reconnect severed North-South communication and open the path to peace and coexistence on the Korean Peninsula through dialogue and cooperation.

On the foundation of a strong South Korea–United States alliance, close South Korea–Japan cooperation, and prompt improvement of relations with China and Russia, with 'national interest-centered practical diplomacy', we will protect peace and the livelihoods of the people. We will boldly transform the 'Korea Discount' into a 'Korea Premium.'

With the climate crisis and changes in the international trade order, conditions for agriculture are becoming increasingly difficult. We are well aware of the expectations and concerns about the new government’s agricultural policies, especially regarding the retention of the Minister of Agriculture.

Given the special importance of agriculture as a national strategic industry, I will directly oversee agricultural and farmers' issues. We will swiftly deal with the four major agricultural livelihood laws, such as the Grain Management Act, and reflect the voices from the field in policy so that hope can grow in rural areas.

The wisdom of the people, our collective intelligence, is the beacon that will light our path ahead. We will routinize and institutionalize direct communication with the people and reflect it actively in governance, moving toward a truly 'people-centered nation.'

We will also accelerate reforms of power institutions entrusted with the authority of the people. As has always been the case and will continue to be, the unwavering principle of our government is 'only the people.'

We will respond to the people's earnest wishes with a 'politics of proof' that brings practical changes to their lives and a 'politics of trust' that always delivers on promises.

Thank you.

Shin Hyunbo, Hankyung.com reporter greaterfool@hankyung.com