"Pragmatism Centered on National Interest and People's Livelihoods"
Lee Jae Myung, former leader of the Democratic Party and a candidate in the Democratic Party's presidential primary, announced on April 20, "We will thoroughly prepare for the Arctic Sea Route and implement the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan."
At the Yeongnam Region Joint Speech Meeting for the Selection of the 21st Presidential Election Candidate, held at the Ulsan Exhibition and Convention Center in Ulju-gun, Ulsan, on this day, Lee said, "I imagine a scene where cargo gathered in Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam spreads out to the world via the Arctic Sea Route. If shipbuilding, shipping, and logistics companies with global competitiveness are based in the hinterland, the economic revival of the southeastern region will become a reality."
Lee also stated, "Daegu and Gyeongbuk have unlimited potential in manufacturing and high-tech industries. We will establish a secondary industry belt and a future-oriented automotive parts cluster, and foster the bio industry as a future growth engine," adding, "The old reputation of being the cradle of Korea's industrialization will be revived."
He further emphasized, "No ideology or belief can stop the changes of the times. No ideology or belief is meaningful in the face of the people's lives and the nation's destiny," and added, "Only pragmatism rooted in national interest and people's livelihoods should be our sole compass."
Lee Jae Myung, former Democratic Party leader and presidential primary candidate of the Democratic Party of Korea, is giving a speech at the "Chungcheong Region Joint Speech Meeting for the Selection of the 21st Presidential Election Candidate" held at Cheongju Gymnasium in Chungbuk on the afternoon of the 19th. Photo by Yonhap News
He said, "In the era of the survival-of-the-fittest world order brought about by a second Trump administration, and the new super-scientific civilization centered on artificial intelligence (AI), our internal ideological and factional conflicts are trivial issues," and "Imitative technologies are no longer effective in this rapidly changing era of super-science and technology."
He continued, "We may be in the position of a pursuer at risk of being eliminated if we fall a step behind, but if we move even half a step ahead, we become pioneers who enjoy infinite opportunities," and added, "Let us leap forward to become the real Korea that leads the world, transforming from a material foundation of 'Meoksanism' to a 'Jalsanism' for a happy life."
Regarding the people's livelihoods and the economy, he said, "Over the past three years, the economy affecting people's lives has been driven to the brink. The chemical, shipbuilding, and machinery industries, which have supported the local economy in Ulsan and the southeastern region, are also shaken by fierce competition," and stressed, "We must restore stalled growth. We must save the exhausted lives of our people and recover the collapsed livelihoods, democracy, and peace."
He said, "The answer lies in our turbulent history. At every moment of great achievement, Yeongnam was always at the center," and added, "In the face of a crisis of the democratic republic, it was Yeongnam that rose up and resisted through the 2.28 Democratic Uprising, the 3.15 Masan Uprising, and the Busan-Masan Uprising."
He continued, "For three years, the Yoon Suk Yeol administration has destroyed democracy and people's livelihoods, betraying the historical achievements built by Yeongnam," and added, "We must abandon the old path ruled by an anti-democratic and anti-people's livelihood administration and create a new path of prosperity."
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