President Lee Orders Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Relocate to Busan by December

At the June 24 Cabinet Meeting, President Lee Orders Immediate Relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries
Relocation to Proceed Regardless of Jeon Jaesoo's Appointment as Minister; Building Rental Options Under Review
Ahead of the 75th Anniversary of the Korean War, President Lee Calls for Thorough Review of Veterans' Compensation and Honors
On Price Stability: "The Situation Is Very Difficult Not Only in Korea but Worldwide... We Must Carefully Consider the Vulnerable"

President Lee Jaemyung has ordered the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to complete its relocation to Busan within this year. Ahead of the 75th anniversary of the 6·25 War, which is just one day away, he also instructed a thorough review to ensure that compensation and honors for veterans are sufficient, once again emphasizing that the most important aspect of national security is "winning without fighting." Regarding the main agenda item of the day, measures to control prices, he urged that damage to vulnerable groups must not be exacerbated.

Yonhap News

According to a key official from the presidential office on the 24th, President Lee instructed at the Cabinet meeting that the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan should be completed by December. President Lee had pledged the relocation as an election promise and made related remarks at his first Cabinet meeting on June 5. The key official stated, "Regardless of the appointment of Jeon Jaesoo as Minister of Oceans and Fisheries on the 23rd, the relocation will begin immediately," adding that President Lee ordered the timeline to be advanced by utilizing methods such as building rental. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries recently reported to the National Planning Committee that it plans to complete the move to Busan by 2029.

At the meeting, President Lee also instructed that compensation and honors for veterans should be strengthened ahead of the 75th anniversary of the 6·25 War. He pointed out, "When considering whether sufficient compensation has been provided to individuals, groups, or regions that made special sacrifices for the community as a whole, it seems that we have fallen short." He continued, "Tomorrow is the anniversary of the 6·25 War. I hope we will thoroughly review whether those who made special sacrifices to protect the Republic of Korea are receiving adequate compensation and honors, and seek out all possible ways to provide support."

President Lee further stated, "Whenever there is an unavoidable need to fight, it is always our powerless citizens who end up on the front lines," and noted, "There have been many cases where our citizens have sacrificed themselves fighting to protect the community." Regarding criticism that support for veterans is insufficient, he said, "Some in our society believe that the cunning manage to escape while only the powerless are sacrificed. Such a sense of injustice seems to be widespread."

Since his candidacy for president, President Lee has pledged to strengthen honors for national veterans and their families. In his Memorial Day address on June 6, he mentioned policies such as support for spouses of war veterans, enhancement of the medical system for national veterans, and improved honors for national veterans and demobilized soldiers. Introducing a new livelihood support allowance for the spouses of war veterans is also one of President Lee's pledges.

President Lee emphasized, "No amount of emphasis is too much when it comes to the issue of security, which protects the values of our community," adding, "While we tend to think that winning by fighting is important for security, in reality, winning without fighting is even more important." On June 13, during his first visit to a frontline military unit since taking office, he also stated, "Winning without fighting is crucial."

Regarding price control measures, President Lee said, "The situation is very difficult not only in Korea but around the world," and added, "Crises bring great suffering to the poor and powerless." He continued, "Today, we will be discussing measures to ensure price stability and public welfare. I hope this will be an opportunity to provide careful consideration so that the burden on vulnerable groups does not increase."

President Lee also emphasized the role of public officials by referencing the "Pacho fan" from Journey to the West. The Pacho fan, held by the wife of the Bull Demon King in the story, can create strong winds and rainstorms with a single wave. President Lee explained, "If you wave the Pacho fan once, the world can be turned upside down. While it may seem like a small, fleeting moment for you, it can determine the rise or fall of the nation." He was urging public officials to have a strong sense of responsibility, given the significant impact their decisions have on the people.

This Cabinet meeting was the first to be held after the appointment of ministers for 11 ministries?including Defense, Foreign Affairs, Unification, Employment, Environment, Science and ICT, Veterans Affairs, Gender Equality and Family, Oceans and Fisheries, SMEs and Startups, and Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs?was finalized on the 23rd. At the meeting, 24 presidential decrees and one general agenda item were submitted. The agenda included amendments in various fields, such as partial revision of the regulations on the application of quota tariffs under Article 71 of the Customs Act, tax reform, support for the livelihood economy, and improvement of industrial and environmental regulations.

Meanwhile, in his opening remarks, President Lee did not make any direct mention of the Middle East conflict. This appears to reflect the recent reduction in concerns over the conflict, following an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump via social media that Israel and Iran had agreed to a "complete and comprehensive ceasefire." According to President Trump, the ceasefire began at around 1 p.m. Korea time. Under the agreement, Iran would halt military actions first, and Israel would cease military operations 12 hours later.

Previously, President Lee had instructed his aides to prepare countermeasures as the conflict between Israel and Iran showed signs of escalation. This is because instability in the global foreign exchange, financial, and capital markets due to war could cause domestic oil prices and overall inflation to fluctuate. At the first meeting of senior presidential aides held on the 23rd, President Lee stated, "The situation in the Middle East is extremely urgent," and added, "All ministries must establish emergency response systems." In particular, President Lee emphasized that since the supplementary budget bill has already been submitted to the National Assembly, "If additional measures are needed, we will actively prepare them and cooperate with the National Assembly."