Is South Korea Falling Behind? President Lee’s Bold Call for Legislative Reform in 2023

[The Public = Eol Choi] President Lee Jae-myung reiterated on Wednesday that the current pace of legislation makes it extremely challenging to respond effectively to the rapidly changing international landscape.

During a cabinet meeting at the Blue House on the 10th, President Lee emphasized, “To achieve our goals of supporting international trade negotiations, revolutionizing administrative regulations, and driving major transitions, we urgently need various legislative measures to bolster South Korea’s competitiveness.”

He continued, “I’ve been hesitant to address the National Assembly, but it seems necessary now. The situation South Korea faces today is markedly different from the past. Global instability is at an all-time high, and competition between nations has intensified to the point where international order is crumbling.”

The President stressed, “In these turbulent times, unity and reform are paramount. The pace of change in the global order and the advancement of artificial intelligence are far outstripping our predictions. The harsh reality is that even if we’re running at full speed, we’ll fall behind in the global race unless we outpace other nations.”

Lee concluded by urging, “As public servants, we must prioritize national interests through unified action. I call on the government to actively engage with the National Assembly to expedite crucial legislation.”