[Full Text] President Lee Jaemyung's 2026 New Year's Address

Yonhap News

On January 1, President Lee Jaemyung declared in his New Year's address, "I will make this year a year of dynamic progress, like a red horse in full gallop, and mark it as the first year of Korea's great leap forward." Defining last year as "a time of recovery and normalization," President Lee emphasized that this year, "we will achieve a major leap and growth." To this end, he proposed five directions for a 'great transformation' that would completely change the growth paradigm. He also pledged, "We will become a government that inspires more anticipation for the next four years and five months than for the past seven months."

Below is the full text of President Lee Jaemyung's New Year's address

Dear beloved and respected citizens,

The new year of Byeongo, the Year of the Red Horse, has dawned.

First, I would like to express my gratitude to all our citizens who trusted the government and crossed the waves of crisis together with us last year.

The year of Eulsa, the 'Year of the Blue Snake,' in which we shed our old skins and were reborn, was a time of recovery and normalization, overcoming worries and anxieties for all of us.

Restoring a nation devastated by civil strife was the most urgent task.

With the swift supplementary budget and the effective use of consumption coupons for restoring livelihoods,

consumer sentiment rebounded to its highest level in seven years and seven months,

and the economic growth rate is also on an upward trend.

The stock market surpassed KOSPI 4,000,

and exports set a new annual record of 700 billion dollars.

Despair mixed with concern is turning into hopeful outlooks.

The hard-won 260,000 GPUs, the 150 trillion won National Growth Fund,

and the bipartisan agreement on the "first budget for the AI era"

will become important stepping stones for the development of high-tech industries and small and venture businesses.

The return of 'Democratic Korea' to the international community and 'national interest-centered pragmatic diplomacy'

have greatly expanded our horizons for growth and progress.

In particular, it is encouraging that the uncertainties weighing on our economy have been largely resolved by concluding tariff negotiations with the United States.

From the construction of nuclear-powered submarines to uranium enrichment and expanded rights for spent nuclear fuel reprocessing, the renaissance of our Korea-U.S. alliance

will provide a solid foundation for economic revival.

Above all, the most hopeful change is that the collective intelligence of the sovereign people, proven through the 'Revolution of Light,'

has begun to take center stage in national governance.

From the national recommendation system, national mailbox, and town hall meetings to live broadcasts of cabinet meetings and work reports, we will continue to make direct communication with the public a daily practice and never stop innovating for greater transparency in governance.

Proud citizens,

Thanks to your united support, we were able to restore the devastated people's economy and democracy

much faster than expected.

However, we are merely at the starting line.

Because we started later than others, we must now run even faster.

Therefore, the goal of the sovereign government in 2026 is clear.

This year will be a year of dynamic progress, like a red horse in full gallop,

and the first year of Korea's great leap forward.

In every field-politics, economy, society, culture, diplomacy, and security-

we will achieve a major leap and growth.

The fruits of growth achieved through this great leap will not be monopolized by a select few,

but will be shared by all.

To this end, we will thoroughly eradicate irregularities and unfairness remaining throughout society

and devote ourselves to creating a society without privileges and unfair advantages.

It is not enough for the nation alone to prosper while its people remain poor;

as the nation grows, all its people must grow together.

We will achieve a great leap forward where large corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises grow and thrive together.

The only standard for this great leap is "the lives of our people."

Beyond the "time of recovery" achieved through the patience and efforts of our citizens,

we will open the era of true "fruition."

The government will devote all its capabilities to ensuring that the people can directly feel "a better year than last year" in their daily lives.

We will ensure that the brilliant light of K-democracy, which has dispelled the darkness,

warmly permeates the daily lives of the people.

We will accelerate our efforts toward a nation where every citizen's face shines brighter,

and where the quality of life matches Korea's global stature.

Fellow citizens,

Until now, Korea has achieved compressed growth by following the "formula for success" of the era of rapid industrialization with all its might.

With limited resources, Korea

achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the world's 10th largest economy by concentrating investments in specific regions, companies, and classes.

However, the limitations of this growth strategy have now become clear.

The "formula for success" that drove high growth

has become a "trap of success" that holds us back.

Inequality and disparity are blocking growth,

and as competition and conflict intensify in this vicious cycle,

the concentration of resources and opportunities

is now a stumbling block, not a stepping stone, to growth.

We must completely change the paradigm of growth.

Taking a new path, rather than the familiar old one, is the shortcut that will lead Korea to a new future of great progress.

Therefore, I would like to present five directions for a great transformation.

First, we will shift from "Seoul metropolitan area-centered growth" to "local-led growth."

The transformation from a "single-pole system centered on the Seoul metropolitan area" to a "five-pole, three-special zone system"

is not about giving favors or consideration to local regions,

but is an essential strategy to drive Korea's renewed progress.

The farther a region is from the metropolitan area, the more robustly and boldly we will support it.

The relocation of the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries completed last year is just the beginning.

We will expand Korea's territory into a multi-polar system, with Seoul as the economic capital, the central region as the administrative capital, and the southern region as the maritime capital.

From the semiconductor belt in the energy-rich south

to AI demonstration cities and renewable energy clusters,

we will design a structure where the development of high-tech industries leads to the development of local regions.

We will make substantial investments in education to foster talent and technology,

in metropolitan transportation and cultural facilities to enhance quality of life,

and in tourism policies, connecting all these investments to

solidly establish the foundation for local-led growth.

Second, we will shift from "growth centered on a few large corporations"

to "growth for all," where opportunities and benefits are shared equitably.

Although the entire nation worked together to successfully conclude tariff negotiations,

it is an undeniable fact that the resulting benefits have gone mainly to a handful of large corporations.

The same is true for the tens of trillions of won in annual defense and nuclear power plant exports.

Now, the shared economic achievements made possible by the capabilities of our community and the efforts of all citizens must flow to small and venture businesses and fill the pockets of our people.

The "National Growth Fund," launched last year, will serve as a catalyst for change, enabling all citizens to invest in the nation's growth and share in the fruits of that growth.

The growth of the Korean economy in the 1970s was driven by entrepreneurial spirit,

and the leap to an IT powerhouse in the 2000s was led by the spirit of innovative ventures.

From the AI era to the great energy transformation, as the existing order is shaken,

now is a time of infinite opportunity for innovators who will lead "creative destruction."

The government will provide full support so that young entrepreneurs and start-up founders can boldly and freely take on challenges and pioneer new paths of innovation,

in line with the shift from an "employment-centered society" to a "start-up-centered society."

We will create a nation where failure becomes an asset for future success and anyone can start again at any time,

where any idea can lead to a start-up,

ushering in an era of start-up and venture business booms and a golden age for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Third, we will shift from growth that disregards life and accepts risk as a given

to sustainable growth based on safety as a fundamental value.

In the face of the disgraceful record of "the highest occupational accident death rate among OECD countries,"

our achievement as the world's 10th largest economy cannot be a source of pride.

What use is a high economic growth rate if a family that sends a loved one off to work in the morning cannot see them return in the evening?

The cost and price of disregarding life

must be much higher than it is now.

In a country full of dangerous workplaces where people do not want to work,

neither sustainable corporate growth nor national development can be achieved.

By increasing the number of labor inspectors by 2,000 and establishing workplace safety monitors,

we will ensure that safe working environments and respect for life take root.

Growth achieved in safe workplaces

is the only sustainable growth that guarantees the happiness of the people.

Fourth, we will shift from growth focused solely on products

to attractive growth led by culture.

In an era when exports of K-content surpass those of secondary batteries and electric vehicles,

investment in culture is no longer just social contribution, but an essential growth strategy.

Culture is now both the economy and the future growth engine, and the core axis of national competitiveness.

The K-pop fandom is growing into K-beauty mania.

K-drama viewership is boosting K-food sales.

A virtuous cycle is being created where industry grows through culture.

To ensure that K-culture does not remain a passing trend,

we will devote all our efforts to enriching the entire cultural ecosystem, including the foundational arts that underpin popular culture.

Based on the greatly increased cultural budget of 9.6 trillion won,

we will enable K-content to penetrate deeper and wider into the world.

Fifth and finally, we will shift from unstable growth under the threat of war

to stable growth underpinned by peace.

Solid peace is another word for growth, and strong security is the driving force of prosperity.

If we can transform the costs and risks of hostility into growth supported by peace,

we can turn today's "Korea risk" into tomorrow's "Korea premium."

The government is consistently pursuing measures to ease military tensions and restore trust between North and South Korea, while building consensus for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula with the international community, including the United States and China.

This year, we will continue to actively support North Korea-U.S. dialogue as a "pacemaker"

and seek to restore inter-Korean relations.

Based on the Korea-U.S. alliance, which has evolved into a "comprehensive strategic alliance," and robust self-reliant defense,

we will take meaningful steps toward peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.

"National interest-centered pragmatic diplomacy" will reach out even further to the world.

We will further solidify Korea's leadership as a responsible global nation

and make our model of shared prosperity through cooperation a global standard.

Fellow citizens, the five principles of great transformation I have just outlined

are not romantic ideals or mere aspirations.

If we fail to achieve a great transformation in our growth and development strategy,

Korea will not be able to escape the trap of low growth-

this is an urgent appeal.

There is no other choice.

There is no more time to hesitate.

Now is the time for action and implementation.

To ensure that 2026 is recorded as "the first year of a great leap forward through great transformation,"

I will move forward steadfastly, trusting only in the people.

Dear beloved and respected citizens,

Last year, as I traveled the world stage, I often said, "We must strengthen our national power."

But the national power I speak of is not just economic or military might.

As our tumultuous history has proven,

the source of national power has always been the people.

The happier each of our 52 million citizens becomes,

and the more dreams, hopes, and challenges abound,

the greater Korea's national power will be.

This year, the sovereign government will respond even more sincerely to the people's urgent question,

"If the nation prospers, will my life improve as well?"

We will become a government that inspires more anticipation for the next four years and five months than for the past seven months.

With the determination that "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,"

we will grow the results of small changes one by one, like a snowball.

We will not shy away from the process of reform, even if immediate results are not visible.

With patience and sincerity for the future, we will put our heads together and gather wisdom.

I know well that all these arduous and great tasks

are only possible on the foundation of national unity and the unwavering trust of the people.

As "the president of all the people," I will approach state affairs with even greater humility.

I believe in the resilience of our people, who have turned the winter of despair into the spring of hope.

As the true owners of this nation, I ask you to join us on the journey toward Korea's future.

Just as we set a new milestone for democracy last year by joining forces,

let us now create together "a new standard for growth and progress" that the world will follow.

Korea's great leap forward-ultimately, it is accomplished by the people! Thank you.