President Lee Jae-myung stated, "For greater growth and sustainable development, it is time to join forces to bridge the divide of polarization and lower the walls of inequality."

President Lee made the remarks during a cabinet meeting he chaired at the Blue House on October 13, saying, "The brighter the light of growth shines, the more carefully we must look at the shadows behind it."

He went on to urge officials, "To this end, please focus government capabilities on pursuing the three key social policies: housing supply, job stability, and inclusive finance," adding, "From the perspective that the three mega-projects can succeed only when supported by the three key social policies, please pick up speed in identifying and implementing concrete, feasible policies."

He also emphasized, "We must build a tight basic social safety net across all aspects of the people's lives, including income, housing, healthcare, and caregiving," adding, "Economic growth and narrowing disparities are two sides of the same coin, and they are necessary and sufficient conditions for a Republic of Korea where everyone lives together."

In addition, regarding the "six bills aimed at reforming the application-based welfare system" scheduled to be processed at the cabinet meeting that day, President Lee said, "Now, we must break away from the application-based approach and shift the paradigm to automated welfare support, where the state proactively seeks out and assists citizens in need," adding, "This will serve as a major turning point that significantly enhances the state's accountability for the lives of its citizens."

He then instructed, "What is just as important as institutional reform is frontline administration," noting, "Please make every effort to overhaul subordinate statutes and establish a detailed framework through close inter-agency cooperation."

Regarding the safe return on October 11 of the PanStar Acro, which completed a pilot voyage along the Arctic shipping route, President Lee said, "This success is not the end, but the beginning," adding, "We must continue test runs to accumulate navigational data and verify the economic feasibility and safety of the route."

He added, "This must be backed by strategies such as securing ice-capable vessels, supporting related industries such as insurance and finance, and fostering Busan into a core hub for the Arctic route," ordering officials, "We must accelerate the expansion of Busan Port infrastructure, the construction of Gadeokdo New Airport, and the overhaul of the railway logistics network. We also need to strengthen diplomatic capabilities to maintain stable relations with countries bordering the Arctic route."

Addressing the recent series of relational crimes, including the murder of a mother-in-law in Seoul, President Lee stated, "There are criticisms that the harm could not be prevented due to a complacent response despite prior warning signs," demanding, "Relevant authorities must thoroughly investigate whether there were problems during the response process and swiftly uncover the truth."

He further emphasized, "Because relational crimes carry a high risk of recurrence and a strong likelihood of escalating into more serious offenses, a strict initial response is crucial," adding, "We must also expedite efforts to rectify legal and institutional loopholes that hinder the protection of victims."
 
(Photo: Yonhap News)