President Lee: "Our Government's Youth Policies Deliver No Results, Fundamental Rethink Needed"

Presides Over Youth Policy Expert Meeting on August 14

Lee: "Consideration for the Elderly Has Increased, But What About the Youth?"

Cites 'Provider-Centered Mindset' as Policy Flaw

President Lee Jae-myung pointed out on the 14th, “Although we are making significant policy efforts to resolve the challenges faced by young people, we have yet to deliver tangible results that can truly be felt.”

On the afternoon of August 14, at a Youth Policy Expert Meeting held at the Blue House, President Lee stated, “As the younger generation is not given many opportunities, it can lead to frustration among young people.”

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Youth Policy Experts Meeting held at the Blue House on August 14, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

President Lee added, “For quite some time, there have been claims of policy consideration for the youth, but when viewed through the lens of our older generations, those measures appeared to be significant. But given the realities young people face today, are those efforts really sufficient?” he asked rhetorically.

He continued, “If we look at it generation by generation, our policy considerations for the elderly seem obvious and consistently increase. There has also been a tendency to believe that since young people have many opportunities, are healthy, and have a bright future, it is good for them to keep challenging themselves and, even if they fail, to try again and again.”

President Lee went on to say, “In the current climate, if you say ‘failure is the mother of success’ or ‘young people who take on challenges are beautiful,’ you might get slapped in the face. This is now a society with a severe lack of opportunity.” He also analyzed, “Economically, we have transitioned into an era of low growth. Older generations enjoyed plentiful opportunities and secured many achievements, but those opportunities now appear to be much diminished for the newer generation.”

President Lee further stated, “Since the establishment of our sovereign government, the growth rate has been recovering to some extent, but growth without employment—growth that does not require much labor—has become the norm. As artificial intelligence becomes central to the industries of the future, it is questionable whether economic growth will continue to generate as many jobs as it did in the past.”

President Lee addressed the experts at the meeting, saying, “Today, I would like us to engage in some fundamental self-reflection. I hope we can evaluate what truly works effectively, and clarify what concrete policies are actually desired.”

He added, “Generally speaking, one flaw I sense in government policy is that it is rooted in a provider-centered mindset. From the perspective of policy recipients, I imagine there have been many moments when people feel, ‘That’s not right; they’re barking up the wrong tree.’ I think we need a shift in our way of thinking.”

Eleven youth policy experts attended the event, including Seo Bokgyeong, Vice Chairperson of the Youth Policy Coordination Committee; Jeong Seowon, President of the National Youth Policy Network; Kim Jongjin, Director of the Working Citizens Research Institute; and columnist Cheon Gwan-yul.

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