Yoon: "We Must Treat Overseas Markets Like Our Own Home"... Orders 'Reorganization of Emerging Market Channels'

President Yoon Urges 'Follow-up Measures' at Cabinet Meeting After ASEAN·G20 Tours
Mentions 'Digital Norms' Saying "Fake News Threatens the Future and Future Generations' Lives"
"Heartbreaking News from Education Field"... Calls for Passage of Bills to Establish and Protect Teachers' Rights

President Yoon Suk-yeol on the 12th stated, "Our country must navigate overseas markets as if they were our own home to invigorate the economy and create jobs," and instructed the establishment of various communication and consultation channels for emerging strategic markets. He ordered practical follow-up measures in the field of economic cooperation based on the outcomes of last week's East Asia Summit (ASEAN) and G20-related summits, promising, "During my term, I will meet with the leaders of all countries where Korean citizens and companies have advanced and support our people and businesses."

On the morning of the same day, President Yoon presided over a Cabinet meeting at the Yongsan Presidential Office, saying, "Relevant ministries should thoroughly manage the agreements and implementation tasks derived from this tour and swiftly proceed with follow-up actions to translate them into concrete results."

President Yoon Suk-yeol is speaking at the Cabinet meeting held on the 12th at the Yongsan Presidential Office building in Seoul.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

The Cabinet meeting was convened to report the economic achievements of the tour to the public and to request cooperation on agenda-specific collaboration plans. President Yoon explained, "We completed a hectic schedule of 33 meetings, including six multilateral meetings and 20 bilateral talks," adding, "We discussed country-specific cooperation plans and core issues related to the overseas economic and social activities of our companies and citizens, overseas expansion, mutual investment, and development cooperation."

Referring to a separate summit with Indian Prime Minister Modi, he said, "Following the signing of a cooperation MOU between NASA and our Ministry of Science and ICT during the state visit to the U.S. in April, we have decided to promote space science cooperation with India as well," urging the prompt establishment of the Aerospace Administration to achieve concrete results. In preparation for full-scale economic cooperation with emerging strategic markets such as India and Indonesia, he also instructed, "Please comprehensively reorganize various communication and consultation channels at all levels, including the private sector." President Yoon emphasized, "Development cooperation is essential for our companies' exports and overseas expansion."

He also expressed his commitment to the Korea-China-Japan summit, arranged through talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. President Yoon stated, "During this tour, Premier Li Qiang and Prime Minister Kishida expressed support for the resumption of the Korea-China-Japan summit," and added, "As the chair country, Korea will actively promote the holding of the Korea-China-Japan summit."

Highlighting the issue of 'fake news,' he stressed the necessity of establishing 'digital norms' that the government is preparing. President Yoon warned, "At this G20 summit, we agreed to cooperate on establishing international governance for AI," and cautioned, "If we fail to prevent the spread of fake news caused by the misuse of AI and digital technologies, liberal democracy will be threatened, the market economy based on liberal democracy will be endangered, and our future and the lives of future generations will also be at risk." This was a point President Yoon emphasized to leaders of various countries during the recent tour. He urged international action to establish 'global digital norms,' and the government is currently discussing the 'Digital Bill of Rights,' which is the basic direction for establishing a new digital order.

After receiving reports on domestic issues from aides the previous afternoon, President Yoon commented on the ongoing Saturday gatherings of teachers nationwide, saying, "There have been successive distressing news from the education field recently," and stressed, "The normalization of the education field must be swiftly achieved." He also expressed hope that bills submitted to establish teachers' rights and protect educators, including the 'Framework Act on Education' which stipulates guardians' obligation to cooperate with legitimate educational activities, will be promptly processed by the National Assembly. He urged the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Justice to swiftly revise the 'Guidelines for the Exercise of Teachers' Rights' to ensure that teachers' legitimate exercise of their rights is not punished.