[Anchor]

President Lee Jae-myung stated that while the South Korea-US alliance is very important, our national interest is paramount, emphasizing that subservient and deferential attitudes should be avoided. His remarks are interpreted as addressing concerns over a "crack in the South Korea-US alliance" that have recently emerged in the political sphere.

Kang Cheong-wan reports.

[Reporter]

Presiding over a cabinet meeting, President Lee Jae-myung emphasized that South Korea's diplomatic principle is pragmatic diplomacy centered on national interest.

He stated that South Korea's national interest comes first and diplomacy must always safeguard the national interest, saying:

[President Lee Jae-myung: In relations between nations, subservient or deferential attitudes must be avoided.]

President Lee also emphasized the importance of the South Korea-US alliance, stating:

[President Lee Jae-myung: The alliance and relationship between South Korea and the United States are very important. It can be called a pillar of our diplomacy. We must continuously advance it.]

However, he noted that differences of opinion naturally exist between nations, and while there is a need to minimize them, the existence of differing opinions itself cannot be taken as an issue.

His remarks are viewed as addressing concerns raised mainly within the political sphere regarding "cracks in the South Korea-US alliance," following recent unusual friction between intelligence authorities of South Korea and the United States.

[President Lee Jae-myung: If there are misunderstandings regarding issues, we will resolve and coordinate them so that South Korea can move forward as an irreplaceable country standing tall in the world.]

President Lee also remarked that the brighter the light of growth, the more attention must be paid to the shadows behind it, adding that now is the time to join forces to address polarization and inequality for greater growth and development.

To this end, he stressed that the government will concentrate its capabilities on pursuing three key social policies—housing supply, job stability, and inclusive finance—and emphasized, "A dense basic social safety net must be built across all aspects of people's lives, including income, housing, healthcare, and caregiving."

Video by Jeong Sang-bo and Ha Ryung | Video Editing by Lee Seung-hee