President Lee Pledges to Expand Rural Income Safety Net to Foster Balanced National Development

President Lee Jae-myung said on Tuesday (Oct. 6) that the government will "expand the income safety net for farming and fishing communities," adding, "This not only means supporting rural areas, but can also serve as a vital mechanism to prevent the extinction of local regions and ease the unipolar concentration in the capital area."

Presiding over a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on the same day, President Lee made the remarks in his opening speech, urging, "I hope people do not view income support for rural communities as handouts or a waste of fiscal resources."

President Lee also diagnosed, "The Agricultural and Rural Win-Win Cooperation Fund has accumulated around 325.5 billion won so far, which is not enough," adding, "Because contributions are voluntary rather than mandatory, it seems the fund has not functioned properly."

He then stated, "We plan to initially inject 200 billion won in fiscal funds into next year's budget and invest an additional 500 billion won in the future to build up more than 1 trillion won."


President Lee pointed out, "Although the government established various mechanisms to compensate farmers for losses when signing free trade agreements (FTAs), they have not worked properly, resulting in deep distrust toward the government among farmers and fishers."

He continued, "While market expansion must continue going forward, it is inevitable that while some sectors benefit, others suffer damage.

Appropriate support must flow from the sectors that benefit to those that suffer," adding, "This is a small step toward restoring trust in the government."

In particular, he emphasized, "All sectors must grow together. A person is not healthy just because their heart is large," noting, "The capillaries must also be strong. The government will pool its strength for balanced national development."

President Lee also committed to reforming the distribution structure of agricultural, livestock, and marine products, promising, "We will definitely rectify the phenomenon where prices plunge in production areas while retail prices in urban areas actually surge."
 
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.