President Lee: "Top Priority Is 'Youth'... Need to Accelerate Establishment of Dedicated Body"

Lee Chairs Video Conference in Rome on the 14th
Youth Generation's Income Declined in Q1
Orders Full Effort to Alleviate the Issue

On June 14 (local time), President Lee Jaemyung stated, "Youth policies should be given top priority in next year's budget plan and in mid- to long-term national fiscal projects."

While on a tour of Europe, President Lee chaired a videoconference with senior secretaries from a hotel in Rome, Italy on this day, noting, "The triple difficulties of employment, asset, and income polarization faced by young people—who can be called the future of our society—are extremely serious."

President Lee Jaemyung, who is on a state visit to Italy, held a videoconference with senior secretaries at a hotel in Rome on June 14, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News.

President Lee said, "An analysis of the average nominal monthly income of household heads in the first quarter showed that the only group whose income decreased was the 2030 youth generation," and added, "As the total amount of opportunities is shrinking, the suffering of our young people who must confront these issues in their daily lives is truly severe."

He continued, "We must do everything possible to alleviate this issue, even if only a little," and called for an accelerated review of the establishment of a dedicated youth policy organization, saying, "As I mentioned before, we need to speed up discussions on setting up a dedicated entity for youth policies."

Additionally, President Lee proposed, "Across all policies—including employment, entrepreneurship, housing, education, and welfare—it might be worthwhile to develop and utilize a youth perception index," adding, "Just like environmental impact assessments and regional development impact assessments, I think it would be valuable to evaluate each policy's impact on young people's lives using such an index."

Meanwhile, President Lee said, "One of the things I've been continuously emphasizing is the issue of public safety," expressing concern that "too many of our citizens are dying in various areas, including accidents and suicides."

At the Blue House, President Jae-myung Lee, who is on a state visit to Italy, is presiding over a video conference meeting of senior secretaries. June 14, 2026. Yonhap News Agency

President Lee also highlighted, "Summer disasters are a concern," stressing, "Although the extreme heat and rainy season have not yet fully begun, now is precisely the time to closely review all countermeasures related to heat waves."

Furthermore, he instructed, "It is important to meticulously inspect the management of hazardous facilities and summer safety measures for the public," and requested, "With school vacations starting in a month, I hope you will also look into ways to minimize gaps in childcare starting now."

Addressing the aides present at the meeting, President Lee said, "I ask you to always take a proactive approach to identifying and addressing the difficulties in people's lives—even though it may be challenging, please pursue active and dynamic administration," emphasizing, "No amount of emphasis on proactive administration is too much."

He added, "Although the situation is not easy, it is necessary to take the initiative and act proactively when needed, even if there are no existing systems or precedents, and even if you are not specifically instructed to do so."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.