Prime Minister Han Chairs First Cabinet Meeting Since Taking Office: "The Three Major Mega Projects Are Not for One Region Only"

The 29th Cabinet Meeting

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook addressed criticism that the benefits of the "three major mega-projects" are excessively concentrated in the Honam region on July 7, stating, "These projects are not intended for any single region alone, but are core initiatives that will drive a major leap forward for the Republic of Korea in the era of global power competition."

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook is presiding over and speaking at the Cabinet meeting at the Government Seoul Office Building on July 7, 2026. Photo by Jo Yong-jun

Presiding over a Cabinet meeting at the Government Seoul Office Building that morning, Prime Minister Han said, "The government has promised the public that, through the vision of the three major mega-projects, we will achieve an 'AI-driven transformation,' 'growth for all citizens,' and 'balanced growth led by local regions.'" She reiterated this commitment during her remarks.

She continued, "At the same time, since we must carry out an extremely large number of projects, none of these tasks will be easy," emphasizing, "If the government and the private sector combine their efforts and give their utmost, I am confident that we will achieve changes that all citizens can truly feel." She added, "I will also do my best to maintain open communication with the public and Cabinet members, and deliver results in return."

With Korea now entering the peak of the monsoon season, Prime Minister Han urged, "The government must maintain heightened vigilance to minimize harm to the public from heavy rains," and stressed, "Not a single citizen should tragically lose their life."

Regarding the amendment to the Information and Communications Network Act, which comes into force today to address online false and manipulated information, she remarked, "As the online sphere grows, it is true that the negative side effects caused by illegal acts such as the spread of false and manipulated information are also increasing." She explained, "The purpose of this amendment is to minimize such adverse effects." She further stated, "The government will guarantee freedom of expression for legitimate criticism and diverse opinions to the greatest extent possible, but will respond firmly to clearly false or manipulated information and illegal acts."

Meanwhile, this day's Cabinet meeting was the first to be presided over by Prime Minister Han since taking office, as she stood in for President Lee Jaemyung, who is on an overseas tour to attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit and visit countries such as Turkiye and Mongolia. Prime Minister Han said, "I am deeply honored."

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