"Public Officials Must Always Be Mindful of the People"
"The Collective Intelligence of the Public Always Finds the Wisest Answers"
"Relocating the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan Is a Major Milestone for Balanced Development"
President Lee Jaemyung, commenting on the live-streamed work reports from each ministry, emphasized, "Public officials must always be mindful of the people, who are the sovereign, and must deeply recognize that the collective intelligence of the public always finds the wisest answers." With the conclusion of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' work report on this day, President Lee wrapped up his first series of work reports since taking office. He also highlighted that relocating the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan would serve as a significant turning point for balanced national development and Busan's advancement, adding that efforts are being made to select the next minister from among local talent in Busan whenever possible.
On December 23, at the opening ceremony of the new Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries building in Busan, President Lee presided over a cabinet meeting and stated, "Through the nation's first-ever live-streamed work reports, I believe the transparency and accountability of state administration have been enhanced, and the public's sense of sovereignty has been meaningfully strengthened." He further noted, "There were many instances where the public pointed out and corrected insufficient reports from certain ministries in real time through comments. There were even cases where new issues or problems were raised that I was previously unaware of."
President Lee once again highly praised the collective intelligence of the people. He said, "The collective intelligence of the public is outstanding and mature. I believe it far surpasses that of prominent political commentators or leaders." He continued, "Reflecting the will of the people in everyday governance is the spirit of our times and the path for popular sovereignty to advance. Each ministry must transparently disclose the entire process of policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation, and must continuously seek public input."
Additionally, President Lee stated that the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan would mark a significant milestone for balanced national development. He said, "I promised to relocate the Ministry to Busan within this year, and I have kept my promise to the citizens of Busan. I am deeply grateful to the Ministry staff, who carried out the relocation without setbacks despite the challenges, and to the citizens of Busan for their support."
He also unveiled plans to support Busan's rise as a leading economic, industrial, and logistics hub in Northeast Asia. President Lee said, "We will spare no financial and administrative support. By expanding port facilities, providing high value-added services, and supporting the growth of local industries, we will make Busan and the southeastern region leaders in the era of the Arctic shipping route." He added, "We will also accelerate the full-scale implementation of the Gadeok New Airport project and the expansion of infrastructure for K-culture and K-tourism in the Busan area."
Meanwhile, regarding the vacancy left by former Minister Jeon Jae-soo of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, who stepped down due to allegations of receiving funds from the Unification Church, President Lee said, "Unfortunately, the position of Minister of Oceans and Fisheries is currently vacant, but we are making efforts to find a successor from the Busan region whenever possible."
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