Lee vows to prioritize people's livelihoods ahead of 500th day in office
President Lee Jae Myung, center, speaks during a meeting with senior aides at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap
President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday pledged to maintain his policy priorities of improving people's livelihoods, pursuing reforms and promoting national unity, a day before he is set to mark his 500th day in office.
"Tomorrow marks the 500th day since the launch of our 'Government of Popular Sovereignty,'" Lee said at a meeting with key aides.
"Without being swayed by any external influence or resistance, (the government) will unwaveringly follow the path toward improving people's livelihoods and pursuing practical reforms and inclusive national unity," he said.
The president also pointed out that the national economy is achieving unprecedented success, but people's livelihoods remain grim, pledging to help spread the benefits of growth to people's everyday lives.
"Our economy is registering remarkable outcomes in various fields. If this trend continues, we will likely become the sixth country with a (per capita) national income of $40,000 this year among nations with a population of over 50 million," the president noted.
"Difficulties in people's everyday lives, however, do not seem to have eased," the president pointed out, instructing aides to make all-out efforts to ensure that the benefits from growth translate into "specific results" in people's lives.
Lee, in particular, called for prioritizing policies supporting people's livelihoods by resolving difficulties related to housing, employment and finance.
"During the rest of the year, Cheong Wa Dae and the government will have to mobilize all efforts to ensure that the warmth of growth spreads throughout society," he said.
The president also instructed officials to establish a special response body to prevent crimes targeting random people and those involving acquaintances, stressing that officials should work with a determination to "declare war" on such crimes.
The instruction follows a series of high-profile crimes, including a stabbing spree earlier this week in which a 59-year-old man, with knives in both hands, attacked people at a shopping complex in Incheon, west of Seoul, injuring eight people.
On Saturday, a man in his 20s was apprehended after stabbing his mother-in-law to death and kidnapping his wife, who was seeking to annul their marriage.
"With a determination to declare war on violent crimes, extraordinary measures should be established promptly against crimes targeting those in personal relationships or crimes targeting large numbers of unspecified people," the president said.
"Crimes threatening the lives of innocent people are a serious issue jeopardizing not only individuals but also the safety of society as a whole," he stressed, also calling for the establishment of a pan-government body to take full responsibility for responding to such crimes.