Lee urges growth shift toward shared prosperity

President Lee Jae-myung said on Jan. 8 that key economic indicators, including the KOSPI, have continued to show improvement in the new year. He emphasized the need for a fundamental shift in South Korea’s growth model, calling for a move away from an approach marked by concentrated resources and unequal opportunities toward growth that delivers tangible gains to the daily lives of all citizens.

Lee made the remarks while presiding over his first meeting with senior presidential aides since returning to office on Jan. 7, following a state visit to China. He said the government will concentrate its policy efforts on areas that have long been marginalized, such as regional small and medium-sized enterprises, startups and young people, so they can develop into new engines of growth. He added that the administration will seek to unite domestic capabilities across ideological and political divides, with the goal of making 2026 a starting point for a major national leap forward.

Lee plans to chair a public briefing on economic growth strategy at the presidential office on Jan. 9, with young entrepreneurs, small business owners and representatives of unicorn companies expected to attend. The event is intended to underscore his vision of balanced growth. The presidential office said it will announce a comprehensive policy package aimed at fostering startups in the near future. Lee said growth that is both sustainable and broadly shared hinges on securing competitiveness in advanced future industries. He added that the global race to lead artificial intelligence transformation has become a decisive factor shaping the fate of nations, not merely individual companies, and called for faster efforts to attract talent, expand infrastructure and strengthen international cooperation.

Addressing intensifying international competition in the energy sector, including U.S. efforts to remove Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Lee said South Korea must also make steady preparations for an energy transition. He said the way the country prepares for future energy sources and responds to the transition could shape not only its economic growth but its overall national trajectory.

Meanwhile, Kim Yong-bum, head of the presidential policy office, is expected to hold a meeting on Jan. 9 at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry with top executives from the nation’s 10 largest business groups. The companies include Samsung, SK, Hyundai Motor, LG, Lotte, POSCO, Hanwha, HD Hyundai, GS and Hanjin. The meeting will focus on measures to promote balanced regional development.


윤다빈 empty@donga.com