What did President Lee Jae Myung say about young people at the 2027 youth budget unboxing event?

Lee said young people have become the most vulnerable group because slower growth has reduced opportunities. He said the country and community can be sustainable only when young people can turn hard work and challenges into opportunities for tomorrow.

Why did Lee Jae Myung say young people are facing fewer opportunities in Korea?

He linked the problem to Korea’s transition into a stable economy with slower growth. He said that has left young people with fewer chances even though they should represent both the country’s future and its present.

How is the Lee administration responding to concerns about young voters and youth policy?

The administration is bolstering policies for young people while Lee’s approval ratings remain lower among young voters than among other age groups. Lee also said officials should reform youth policies to better match the actual needs of young people.

Lee vows to expand opportunities for young people, calling them 'most vulnerable' group

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Summary

President Lee Jae Myung said Friday that young people have become the most vulnerable group as slower growth has reduced opportunities. He made the remarks at the 2027 youth budget unboxing event, where next year’s youth-related budget allocations and major projects were presented. Lee said the government will pour national resources into growth and reform youth policies to better reflect actual needs.

Key Facts

The event was held to unveil budget allocations and major projects for next year aimed at benefiting young people.
Lee said Korea has become a stable economy with slower growth, leaving young people with fewer opportunities.
He said the government is pouring national resources into promoting economic growth to increase the overall economic pie.
Lee instructed officials to reform policies for young people so they better reflect their actual needs.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 28, 2026 10:21 am KST
Updated Aug 28, 2026 4:38 pm KST

President Lee Jae Myung presides over a meeting at the foreign ministry in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

President Lee Jae Myung said Friday that young people have become the "most vulnerable" group amid reduced opportunities stemming from slowed growth, pledging to create a society where people can have as many opportunities as they work for.

The president made the pledge during the "2027 youth budget unboxing" event, which was arranged to unveil budget allocations and major projects for next year aimed at benefiting young people.

As Korea has become a stable economy with slower growth, young people now have fewer opportunities and have become "the most vulnerable" generation, even though young people should represent both the country's future and present, Lee noted.

"The country and our community can be sustainable only when young people can dream and turn their hard work and challenges into opportunities for tomorrow," the president said.

The president said it is the country's duty to create a society where young people can have as many opportunities as they work for, highlighting the importance of creating "economic opportunities" in particular.

To that end, the government is pouring national resources into promoting economic growth to increase the overall economic "pie," he said, while also instructing officials to reform policies for young people to better reflect their actual needs.

The event comes as the Lee administration is bolstering policies for young people at a time when the president is seeing lower approval ratings among young voters than from any other age groups.

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