President Lee Presides Over Senior Aides Meeting on the 13th
"Now Is the Right Time for Structural Reform in Six Key Areas Including Pensions"
Urges Aides to "Maintain a Sense of Responsibility"
On November 13, President Lee Jaemyung called for overcoming the pain and resistance of structural reforms to boost the nation’s potential growth rate. He also instructed his aides to approach their responsibilities with a sense of accountability, even beyond their assigned work.
Presiding over a meeting of senior aides at the presidential office in Yongsan that day, President Lee stated, "The biggest challenge facing the Republic of Korea is to reverse the decline in our potential growth rate that occurs every time the government changes." He added, "To achieve this, bold structural reform is absolutely necessary." He pointed out, "Just as consuming good nutrients does not improve health if plaque builds up in the blood vessels, no policy can be truly effective if we neglect the broader issues facing our society."
President Lee also urged that the resistance and pain resulting from structural reform "must be overcome." He said, "With the spark of economic recovery now ignited, I believe this is the right time for structural reform." He emphasized, "We must reverse the potential growth rate through structural reforms in six key areas: regulation, finance, the public sector, pensions, education, and labor. In doing so, we will open a new path for growth."
Furthermore, President Lee told his aides, "(Officials at the presidential office) have a duty to turn this situation around," urging them to maintain a strong sense of responsibility. He said, "Even if a matter is not within your area of responsibility, you are still dealing with the fate of the Republic of Korea and the lives of 52 million citizens." He added, "You should at least be aware of matters outside your own work, even if they are someone else’s responsibility."
President Lee believes that if officials at the presidential office focus only on their own work, "there is a risk that their perspective will narrow and they will fail to consider other aspects."
He went on to say, "We must never forget that our every judgment, choice, and decision carries enormous social influence." He continued, "We must have a sense of responsibility equal to the pride we take in handling important affairs of the Republic of Korea."
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