President Lee Jae Myung Outlines Second-Year Security and Economic Vision

President Lee Jae Myung announced four primary policy targets during a press conference at the Blue House to mark the first anniversary of his inauguration. He pledged to transform South Korea into an irreplaceable global power by diversifying industrial growth beyond semiconductors and integrating artificial intelligence across all sectors. To support this, Lee announced a forthcoming large-scale investment project and plans to utilize surplus tax revenues generated by the record profits of companies like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix to benefit small firms and startups.

On national security, Lee emphasized securing nuclear-powered submarines with U.S. support and regaining wartime operational control from Washington. He advocated for a phased approach to North Korean denuclearization, specifically targeting a short-term freeze on nuclear material production and ICBM development. However, he rejected the development of independent South Korean nuclear weapons, citing the risk of international sanctions.

Domestically, Lee vowed to combat stock manipulation and real estate crimes while introducing housing supply plans to curb prices. He also ordered a joint investigative task force of prosecutors and police to probe ballot shortages at 50 polling stations during the June 3 local elections, calling the failures a challenge to sovereignty. Regarding regional diplomacy, Lee conditioned deeper military logistics cooperation with Japan on a sincere apology from Tokyo for its colonial rule of Korea.