Presiding Over Senior Secretaries and Aides Meeting
President Lee: "The Economic Situation Is Very Bad... Ensuring Management Stability for the Self-Employed and Small Business Owners Is an Urgent Priority"
President Lee: "Proactive Support Measures Needed for Vulnerable Groups and Farming and Fishing Households Affected by the Heat Wave"
President Lee Jaemyung presided over a meeting of senior secretaries and aides on the 10th, stating, "From the 21st, consumer coupons for livelihood recovery will be distributed. As we enter the vacation season, I ask that relevant ministries operate various consumption promotion programs to maximize the effect of this distribution." He also instructed that follow-up measures to sustain the recovery of domestic demand should be prepared proactively.
At the meeting held at the presidential office in Yongsan that afternoon, President Lee said, "The economic situation is very bad. In particular, the economic situation for ordinary people, such as small business owners and vulnerable groups, is extremely poor," expressing his concerns.
President Lee went on to say, "Ensuring the management stability of self-employed individuals and small business owners, who can be described as the capillaries of the economy, is an urgent priority for a rapid economic recovery." He added, "It is said that the number of business closures last year exceeded one million for the first time, which is a very serious situation. Domestic demand is also extremely depressed, so the government must mobilize all its capabilities to promote consumption and stimulate domestic demand."
He also urged that measures be taken to reduce the damage suffered by vulnerable groups and farming and fishing households due to the heat wave. President Lee said, "Various damages are occurring due to the heat wave," and added, "We need to quickly implement all possible measures so that vulnerable groups do not suffer difficulties because of the heat. Among these, please check whether the cooling shelters operated by local governments and public institutions are being properly managed and utilized."
President Lee stated, "It is reported that livestock deaths are surging due to the unprecedented heat wave," and continued, "Relevant ministries should use fire trucks and livestock quarantine vehicles to provide water quickly, and ensure that disaster and safety special grants are swiftly used to supply barriers, ventilation fans, and nutritional supplements." He added, "It seems that aquaculture farms are also experiencing significant damage. Proactive and active support measures are needed to ensure the safety of aquatic life and to prevent further property damage for fishermen."
In this regard, he also called on relevant ministries to establish a cooperation system with the private sector and build a rapid disaster response system focused on the field. President Lee said, "For marketable aquatic life, please encourage early shipment; for non-marketable fish, implement early purchase, support essential equipment for aquaculture farms, and promote enrollment in aquaculture disaster insurance." He emphasized, "While we cannot prevent natural disasters themselves, we can prevent the expansion of damage. I ask that all ministries mobilize their available administrative resources to protect the health and property of our people during this record-breaking heat wave."
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