President Lee Presides Over Cabinet Meeting at New Busan Ministry Headquarters
"Public’s Collective Intelligence Always the Wisest"
"Relocation of Oceans Ministry to Busan Is a Major Step for Balanced Development"
Financial Services Commiss
President Lee Jaemyung, in relation to the live-broadcasted 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 people always finds the wisest answers." With the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' work report on this day, President Lee concluded his first round of work reports since taking office.
He also stressed that the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan would serve as a significant turning point for balanced national development and Busan's leap forward. He added that efforts are being made to find the next minister from Busan, if possible.
On the 23rd, while presiding over a Cabinet meeting at the temporary Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries office in Busan, President Lee stated, "Through the first-ever live-broadcasted work reports, I believe the transparency and accountability of state administration have increased, and the people's sense of sovereignty has been solidified." He further noted, "There were many cases where citizens pointed out and corrected inadequate reports from certain ministries in real time through comments. In some cases, new issues or problems were raised that even I was not aware of."
President Lee once again highly praised the collective intelligence of the people. He stated, "The collective intelligence of the people is outstanding and mature. I believe that the collective wisdom of the people far surpasses that of prominent political commentators or leaders." He continued, "Reflecting the will of the people in all aspects of state affairs is the spirit of our times and the path that popular sovereignty must take. Each ministry must transparently disclose the entire process of policy making, implementation, and evaluation, and continuously seek public opinion."
Additionally, regarding the relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to Busan, President Lee remarked, "It will be a significant turning point for balanced national development." He stated, "I promised to relocate the ministry to Busan within the year, and I have kept that promise to the citizens of Busan. I am deeply grateful to the ministry staff who carried out the relocation without setbacks despite difficult circumstances, and to the citizens of Busan who supported the move."
President Lee also announced plans to support Busan in becoming a leading economic, industrial, and logistics hub in Northeast Asia. "We will spare no financial and administrative support," he said, "expanding port facilities, providing high value-added services, and supporting the growth of local businesses to make Busan and the southeastern region leaders in the era of the Arctic shipping route." He added, "We will also expedite the full-scale launch of the Gadeok New Airport project and the expansion of K-Culture and K-Tourism infrastructure in the Busan area." Referring to the resignation of former Minister Jeon Jae-soo due to allegations of receiving money 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 suitable candidate from the Busan area if possible."
Year-End and New Year Crowd Safety Measures: "Take Action Even If Criticized for Being Excessive"
President Lee, noting the series of events attracting large crowds during the year-end and New Year period, stated, "It is far better to do too much for public safety than to do too little," and urged, "Even if criticized for being excessive, please take measures to minimize risks."
He added, "For annual events, there is often a tendency to become complacent about safety measures. Relevant ministries and local governments must conduct double and triple checks on safety measures for events attracting large crowds." He also requested that as many safety personnel as possible be deployed and that responsible organization heads and event organizers pay special attention.
President Lee also referred to a suggestion made during a meeting with the leadership of the Korean Senior Citizens Association the previous day, asking for discussions on updating the background images for the national anthem to better reflect Korea's recent development. He said, "Yesterday, I met with the leadership of the Korean Senior Citizens Association, and one member mentioned that the background for the national anthem is outdated and requested it be changed to something that better represents the country's recent progress and enhanced international status. Please discuss ways to maximize national pride."
Furthermore, President Lee mentioned a recent survey on the values of Koreans, stating, "In response to the question about the desired future for Korea, many cited a country with mature democracy. Until now, being an economically wealthy nation was always the top answer, but that has changed." He emphasized, "In managing state affairs, we must now consider these democratic values more deeply. Since December 3 of last year, we have reached a point where we can move forward into the future with hope."
Following the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries' report on the "Busan Port 3.0 Promotion Strategy," President Lee called for its steady implementation. Regarding the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's crowd safety management measures for year-end and New Year events, he noted, "It is likely that more people than usual will gather for sunrise events, so responsible organization heads and event organizers must pay special attention to safety management." He reiterated his governing philosophy that "doing too much for public safety is far better than doing nothing at all."
In addition to the scheduled ministry reports, an impromptu report was given on the "Plan to Promote the Southeast Region Investment Corporation." President Lee, after receiving a report from the Financial Services Commission on plans to actively discuss with the National Assembly to establish a legal basis and promptly implement support for marine port infrastructure, advanced industries, and venture companies, said, "After confirming that the available assets of the investment corporation amount to 50 trillion won, please ensure smooth progress."
President Orders Review of Whether Surge in Criminal Compensation Is Due to Excessive Prosecution
In the subsequent closed-door meeting, after approving the "2025 General Account Reserve Fund Expenditure Plan" to address the surge in state and criminal compensation demands, President Lee asked whether the increase in criminal compensation might be due to excessive prosecution by prosecutors. According to presidential spokesperson Kang Yoojeong, he instructed that a separate report be prepared on the trends in criminal compensation and acquittal verdicts. Criminal compensation refers to compensation claimed from the state by criminal suspects or defendants who have been detained but subsequently receive a non-prosecution disposition or are acquitted.
President Lee also mentioned various suggestions made during a luncheon hosted by the Korean Senior Citizens Association. He instructed a review of a proposal to increase the number of honors and decorations in line with the rapid growth of the elderly population from 3 million to 10 million, and requested that the criteria for exemption from gift tax on childbirth incentives be clearly defined.
Additionally, President Lee noted that the work reports serve to ensure that ministers and heads of public institutions clearly understand their responsibilities, while criticizing some institution heads who focus only on authority, prestige, and positions instead of their actual duties. He directed Cabinet members to ensure that special instructions are properly conveyed and to carefully follow up after work reports from their respective organizations, ministries, and departments. President Lee stated, "Through work reports, communication between all levels is essential for the public sector to function effectively. Make sure to clearly reward those who perform well and impose sanctions on those who do not, establishing a clear system of merit and accountability."
Meanwhile, 129 agenda items were submitted to the Cabinet meeting on this day, all of which were approved as originally proposed. Among them were 58 major legislative items related to the Lee Jaemyung administration's policy initiatives. Specifically, these included an amendment to the "Women's Economic Activity Act" to change the term "career-interrupted women" to "career-holding women" and prohibit discrimination against them, an amendment to the "Food Sanitation Act and Health Functional Food Act" to introduce a full labeling system for genetically modified foods, and an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act to, in principle, allow victims to view and copy evidence documents and records.
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