YouTube Communication by Choo Kyung-ho: "Regarding Youth Proposals for a 'Better Country to Live In'... My Heart Feels Heavy"

"There are many proposals asking to create a country where young people can live well, and this often weighs heavily on my heart."

On the 20th, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho appeared on the Ministry of Economy and Finance's YouTube channel to directly respond to policy proposals left by the public. This is the first time Deputy Prime Minister Choo has used YouTube to communicate directly with the people. The Ministry of Economy and Finance posted a video on this day in which Deputy Prime Minister Choo personally answered difficulties and opinions collected through a public policy proposal comment event held from the 20th to the 29th of last month.

Regarding single-person households, Deputy Prime Minister Choo said, "They are currently increasing at a very rapid pace and are definitely an important social phenomenon," adding, "Policies should not only imagine households or families living together but should consider this as a social phenomenon." According to Statistics Korea, the proportion of single-person households in South Korea increased from 28.6% in 2017 to 33.4% in 2021, showing that one in three households is a 'single-person household.'

Deputy Prime Minister Choo cited a video of a young couple worrying about whether to have a second child as the most heartbreaking during the public interviews. He said, "When I saw the video about worrying whether to have a second child, I thought such stress should not exist," and added, "The number of children to have is entirely the couple's own choice, but if there are complicated issues due to other concerns, we need to address them institutionally." Regarding the many proposals asking to create a country where young people can live well, Deputy Prime Minister Choo said, "There are many times when my heart feels heavy."

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Choo Kyung-ho is directly responding to policy proposals left by the public through the Ministry of Economy and Finance's YouTube channel on the 20th.

Deputy Prime Minister Choo also responded that negative comments are better than no response at all regarding government policies. He explained, "We are people who live amidst countless negative comments," and added, "Negative comments show what kind of criticism there is, which means we can properly implement policies and confirm public reaction." He further said, "If there is no interest or affection, no one talks. When there is true indifference, even the policy makers feel lonely."

In conclusion, Deputy Prime Minister Choo said, "We are responsible for the country's economy and are making great efforts to improve the lives of the people," and added, "The vivid voices and comments from the public are extremely valuable materials for implementing policies."