Policy Director: "Minsheng Forum, No Political Consideration... Will Visit Various Regions"

Considering Location, Timing, Issue Importance, and Urgency

Seong Tae-yoon, Chief of Policy at the Presidential Office, stated on the 17th that the 20 livelihood discussion meetings held this year are "being conducted at the sites of livelihood issues directly related to topics presented by the public, without any political considerations." This is interpreted as an active response to criticisms from the opposition accusing the livelihood discussion meetings of being "government-led elections" and "populist policies."

Seong said at a briefing held at the Yongsan Presidential Office in the afternoon that day, "We plan to visit as many regions as possible to hear a wider variety of voices from diverse locations," on the 17th.

The livelihood discussion meetings represent a new form of work reporting proposed by President Yoon, departing from the traditional practice where government ministers reported individually in private meetings. Instead, the government breaks down inter-ministerial barriers to quickly apply policies requested by the public during the discussions. On the other hand, opposition parties such as the Democratic Party criticize the meetings, citing budget issues and accusing the government of "making empty promises while traveling nationwide."

Sung Tae-yoon, Chief of Policy Office at the Presidential Office, is giving a briefing on current issues related to the public livelihood discussion on the 17th at the Presidential Office building in Yongsan, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding this, Seong stated, "The specific locations and timings are decided comprehensively considering the importance and urgency of the issues, efforts by local governments, and the timeliness of measures," adding, "These are communication-oriented, on-site work reports conducted through discussions with the public, and unlike fragmented reports by individual ministries, they are collaborative and solution-oriented work reports where multiple related ministries seek solutions together for tasks presented by the public."

He emphasized, "The livelihood discussion meetings are a platform that embodies the government’s policy direction of being action-oriented," and added, "If someone has to do it, we do it now. This is a communication platform of the Yoon Seok-yeol administration that differentiates itself from past governments by not stopping at discussions and reviews but proposing solutions."

Seong cited policy achievements such as reforming systems that had been maintained for over 50 years by custom, including green belts and military facility protection areas, and relief measures for small business owners selling alcohol and tobacco to youths with forged or altered IDs, which were resolved within a short period at the public’s request. He also explained that regarding the creation of a semiconductor mega cluster, related ministries including the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Environment, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport worked as one team to prepare comprehensive support measures.

Furthermore, he detailed policies discussed in the 13th to 20th livelihood discussion meetings held in regions such as Ulsan, Changwon in Gyeongnam, Seosan in Chungnam, Daegu, Gwangmyeong in Gyeonggi, Incheon, Chuncheon in Gangwon, and Muan in Jeonnam, stating, "The government is swiftly implementing follow-up measures to ensure that the tasks discussed at the livelihood discussion meetings lead immediately to changes that the public can feel."

Regarding follow-up actions taken so far, Seong explained that amendments to the Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Distribution Structure of Mobile Communication Terminals (Mobile Device Distribution Act) and expansion of subsidies by telecom companies, partial implementation of mandatory closures and holiday shifts for large marts in some areas along with seeking win-win measures with small business owners, and a full investigation and review of easing 91 types of levies have been carried out.