President Lee Presides Over First Cabinet Meeting at Government Complex Sejong Since Inauguration
"Youth Employment Outlook for Second Half Remains Dim... Multi-layered Support Measures to Be Implemented"
"Government and Companies Must Overcome Youth Employment Crisis Together with Team Korea Spirit"
"Balanced Development Is a Destiny, Not a Choice... Accelerating 'Five Regions, Three Special Zones' and Sejong Presidential Office"
Discussion on 'National Balanced Growth Strategy' with Relevant Ministers
On September 16, President Lee Jaemyung stated, "The outlook for the youth employment market in the second half of the year is not bright. The government will implement multi-layered support measures to help young people acquire the competencies needed in the field and will work to lower barriers to entry into the labor market." He also called on companies to participate in addressing youth employment issues.
On this day, during his opening remarks at the Cabinet meeting held for the first time at the Government Complex Sejong since his inauguration, President Lee said, "This week is Youth Week. According to the August employment trends, the overall employment rate is at an all-time high, but the number of employed young people has been declining for 16 consecutive months." He added, "With regard to future growth engines, please pursue youth job expansion policies with great care."
He also urged companies to participate. President Lee said, "There is a saying that it takes a whole village to raise a child," and added, "To solve the youth employment problem, not only government efforts but also those of companies are necessary. The government is doing its utmost to support companies so they can conduct business activities smoothly. I ask that companies, who are overcoming trade challenges with the Team Korea spirit, also join forces to overcome the youth employment crisis."
President Lee further emphasized, "Creating new jobs for young people is essential," and made a sincere appeal, "Let us open a new path for economic growth where youth, companies, and the nation all win."
President Lee also stressed that achieving balanced national development is essential for sustainable growth. He said, "In the past, we focused investments on scarce resources, which led to unbalanced growth and a concentration in the capital region. Now, the concentration in the capital area has reached its limits, and local regions are facing extinction, making Korea's sustainable growth difficult. I believe that balanced national development is no longer a choice but a destiny."
He went on to say that the government will accelerate the 'Five Regions, Three Special Zones' strategy. This strategy divides the nation into five key regions-Capital Region, Chungcheong Region, Southeast Region, Daegyeong Region, and Honam Region-and three special autonomous provinces-Gangwon, Jeonbuk, and Jeju-to break the dominance of the capital region and secure growth engines for each area as part of the national balanced development plan.
President Lee explained, "This is why the government uses the term 'Five Regions, Three Special Zones.' We aim to foster five development centers including regions outside the capital, as well as three special autonomous provinces such as Gangwon, Jeonbuk, and Jeju." He added, "We must accelerate the implementation of this plan." In particular, President Lee reiterated, "The completion of 'Administrative Capital Sejong' is the cornerstone of balanced development," and pledged, "We will ensure the construction of the Sejong Presidential Office and the Sejong National Assembly Building proceeds without delay."
President Lee Discusses 'National Balanced Growth Strategy'... "Strongly Promote the 'Sunlight Pension' Policy"
Before reviewing and deciding on agenda items, President Lee presided over a two-hour discussion on the 'National Balanced Growth Strategy.' Kim Kyungsoo, Chairperson of the Presidential Committee on the Era of Local Autonomy, gave a presentation on the 'Five Regions, Three Special Zones' national balanced growth design. Koo Yooncheol, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and Minister of Economy and Finance, reported on strategies to support national balanced growth based on an ultra-innovative artificial intelligence (AI) economy. Choi Gyojin, Deputy Prime Minister for Social Affairs and Minister of Education, who attended the Cabinet meeting for the first time, presented plans to foster local universities for balanced national growth. Kim Jeonggwan, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, announced measures to nurture growth engines for the 'Five Regions, Three Special Zones.' The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries also reported their prepared measures to President Lee.
President Lee instructed that the 'Sunlight Pension' policy, which utilizes idle public facilities and roads in rural areas as solar energy generation sources and distributes profits to residents, be vigorously promoted. When Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Song Mireyong said that the number of 'Sunlight Income Villages' would be increased to 100 by next year, President Lee responded, "If we put our minds to it, couldn't we create hundreds?"
President Lee continued, "Even without budgetary support, we can generate profits simply by shifting policies," and requested, "Please review ways to increase the share of power generation profits allocated to residents, as long as Korea Electric Power Corporation does not incur losses." He also noted the possibility of overlapping responsibilities between the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment and other ministries following the recent government reorganization, and directed the Office for Government Policy Coordination to coordinate accordingly.
He also asked the Financial Services Commission to pursue ways to promote regional development through policy finance. President Lee asked Chairman Lee Eogwon of the Financial Services Commission, "Is it impossible to offer lower policy finance interest rates in local areas?" In response, Chairman Lee replied, "We will strengthen mechanisms such as preferential interest rates through policy finance institutions." President Lee further stated, "The disappearance of regional banks is also a problem," and instructed, "Come up with ways to support and revitalize regional finance, or to provide financial support benefits to local businesses."
He also called for exploring ways to outsource public services to the social economy sector. President Lee said, "The previous administration drastically reduced the social economy sector, so we need to restore it quickly. It would be good for the government to expand the outsourcing of public services to the economic sector at the national level wherever possible." He then shared his own experience as mayor of Seongnam, where he outsourced cleaning services to a social enterprise established by cleaning workers, and was accused by some of supporting pro-North Korean forces simply because members of the Democratic Labor Party were involved.
Additionally, President Lee cited the case of Sinan County in South Jeolla Province, which may lose support benefits after being excluded from the list of depopulation areas due to its recent population growth through its own efforts, and asked the Ministry of Economy and Finance to "establish objective and rational criteria to ensure that those who make efforts are not disadvantaged."
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