President Lee Presides Over Senior Aides Meeting
"Suicide Is a Serious Issue?Neglecting It Means the State Is Abandoning Its Responsibilities"
Orders Creation of Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Body and Development of Mental Health Support Policies
On August 21, President Lee Jaemyung stated, "We must completely shift the policy paradigm to view suicide as a social disaster," and instructed, "In addition to expanding budgets and personnel, please develop and implement a sophisticated suicide prevention and mental health support policy, including the establishment of a dedicated inter-ministerial coordinating body to ensure responsible policy execution."
Presiding over a senior aides' meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan that day, President Lee said, "There are so many tragic deaths in our society. The suicide issue has become so serious that it can no longer be neglected." He continued, "South Korea’s suicide rate is far more than double the OECD average. According to 2023 statistics, nearly 14,000 citizens made extreme choices. I estimate that the numbers have increased even further last year and this year."
President Lee further noted, "For over 20 years, we have borne the disgrace of having the highest suicide rate among OECD countries," and added, "It is a clear contradiction to discuss countermeasures for low birth rates while neglecting citizens driven to suicide. This is nothing less than a dereliction of the state’s responsibility."
He also called for efforts to expand financing for the K-content industry and to build an ecosystem based on artificial intelligence (AI). President Lee remarked, "Through 'K-pop Demon Hunters,' the world is once again experiencing the excellence of Korean culture," and added, "Culture and the arts elevate national prestige, instill pride in our people, and are the core of national soft power with limitless economic value." He continued, "The creation of a single outstanding work leads to various derivative products and industrial effects, and it plays a significant role in enhancing the national image."
Accordingly, President Lee said, "For K-culture to take deeper and broader root in the world, its foundation must be solid," and stressed, "We should expand policy financing to nurture global content companies and focus on building a content ecosystem based on AI." He further emphasized, "To realize the dream of becoming a cultural powerhouse that leads the world with the strength of our culture, we must establish a long-term, whole-of-government strategy," and asked for special attention and care to be given to pure culture and the arts, which form the basis of all cultural and artistic industries, as well as to individual cultural and artistic policies.
Regarding his visits to the United States and Japan, President Lee commented that there are numerous issues to resolve as the international situation and trade order are being reorganized, stating, "In this process, I feel we must strengthen our national power." He added, "Although the environment is challenging, I will do my utmost to ensure that mutually beneficial diplomatic and security policies are realized by putting the national interest first and trusting in the people," and continued, "I will also continue to seek practical solutions for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula."
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