President Lee Jae-myung said, "Now is not the time to commit the error of becoming obsessed with managing short-term fiscal numbers."

Presiding over a Cabinet meeting at the Blue House, President Lee made the remarks, stating, "We must transition to a 'productive fiscal strategy' that uses expanded fiscal capacity as seeds to harvest greater rewards in the future."

"We must effectively leverage the opportunities created by the industrial great transformation to lead a substantial leap in the quality of life for our citizens," President Lee emphasized. "We need the wisdom to invest precious future financial resources into more efficient and productive areas, turning today's 10,000 won into 100,000 won tomorrow, and 1 million won thereafter."

He then instructed the government, saying, "While ensuring sound fiscal management by boldly adjusting non-essential and urgent budgets, please finalize the budget bill with a strong focus on resolving key national tasks, such as promoting super-gap growth, mitigating K-shaped polarization, balanced development, talent development, and building a future ladder for youth."

He added, "Even after the submission of the budget bill, please maintain an open attitude toward reasonable alternatives from the National Assembly or the public." He continued, "Naturally, policies are proposed by the government, deliberated by the National Assembly, and finally decided. I hope you will not be overly shaken even if changes occur during the parliamentary deliberation process."

Pointing out the criticism the government faces, he remarked, "Looking at certain media reports, when government policies are modified by accepting the opinions of the National Assembly, they are criticized as 'indecisive,' and when agreements with the National Assembly fall through, they are criticized as 'unilateral.' You get criticized if you move forward, criticized if you move backward, criticized if you stand, criticized if you sit, and criticized if you lie down."

President Lee also ordered officials to accelerate the establishment of balanced development strategies to overcome the capital-region-centric polarization system.

First, he stated, "Citizens living in regional areas are also citizens of the Republic of Korea, and regional areas are also the territory of the Republic of Korea," adding, "We must firmly lead an era of 'growth for all' where the entire country develops together."

"What is crucial for this is close cooperation and solidarity between the central and local governments," he noted. "Local governments should find solutions from the perspective of the entire nation, transcending local interests, and the central government must strongly support a local-led territorial great transformation through active backing."

Furthermore, he stated, "To structurally reorganize the capital-region-centric system and create new growth poles for each region, a more bold and macro approach is also necessary," adding, "We will accelerate the establishment of mid- to long-term national strategies to realize this."

(Photo: Presidential Photo Press Corps, Yonhap News)