President Lee: "The Purpose of Politics Is to Take Responsibility for Citizens' Lives... Please Join Forces"

Korea Rises Six Spots in National Competitiveness Assessment
"This Is the Result of Citizens' Tireless Efforts"
"The Position of Those in Power Is Not an Opportunity to Seize and Enjoy Happiness"

President Lee Jae-myung stated, "The purpose of politics goes beyond merely holding power; it is to take responsibility for the fate of the nation and the lives of its 50 million people."

President Lee Jae-myung is answering reporters' questions during a briefing on his participation in the G7 summit and European tour held at the Blue House Press Briefing Room on June 19, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

On June 22, President Lee shared an article on X (formerly Twitter) reporting that the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) of Switzerland ranked Korea 21st in this year's national competitiveness assessment, marking a rise of six places from last year. He wrote, "Not only is the real economy gradually improving, but so is our national competitiveness. This is all thanks to the tireless efforts of our citizens."

President Lee added, "Korea is leading the world in every aspect—politics (democracy), economy (semiconductors, defense industry, etc.), and culture (K-pop, etc.)—and is admired by people from various countries across the globe." He continued, "Let us come together, striving beyond small differences, and muster our strength to become an ideal nation for global citizens—an irreplaceable Korea."

These remarks are seen as an extension of President Lee's recent expressions of concern over domestic political situations, such as the ruling party's internal leadership contest and conflicts between the ruling and opposition parties. During his European tour briefing, he commented that he hoped the situation would be a competition, not a war.

President Lee further emphasized, "The seat of power is not an opportunity to seize and enjoy happiness, but a position of unlimited responsibility entrusted by the people." This message once again underscores his view that politics must be conducted with a sense of responsibility for national governance.

According to the 2026 national competitiveness report released by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) of Switzerland, Korea ranked 21st among 70 countries surveyed. This is an improvement of six places from 27th last year, and it is Korea's second-highest ranking since entering the assessment in 1997, following its 20th position in 2024. Notably, among the so-called "30·50 Club"—countries with a per capita gross national income of over 30,000 dollars and a population exceeding 50 million—Korea achieved the second-highest ranking after the United States, which was 10th. Korea ranked ahead of Germany (23rd), the United Kingdom (24th), Japan (30th), France (36th), and Italy (45th).

Meanwhile, President Lee shared the results of the police crackdown on "private retaliation-for-hire" services and pointed out, "Such acts, including retaliation-for-hire, must never be tolerated," further emphasizing, "It constitutes a serious crime that can result in arrest." He also requested the public to express their gratitude and encouragement to the hardworking police officers.

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