President Lee: "Despite Astronomical Budgets, No Solution to Population Issue... Complete Paradigm Shift Needed"

President Lee Presides Over Senior Secretary Meeting on the 11th
"By 2060, Korea Will Have the Highest Elderly Population Ratio in the World"

President Lee Jae-myung stated on the 11th, “There is a projection that by around 2060, South Korea will have the world’s highest proportion of elderly citizens,” adding, “It is now time for a complete overhaul of the population policy paradigm, moving beyond existing frameworks, methods, and limitations.”

At the Senior Secretary Meeting held at the Blue House that afternoon, President Lee said, “Over the past several decades, our society has implemented extensive policies and injected astronomical budgets, yet we still have not found a breakthrough for the demographic challenge. In the meantime, due to the rapid pace of aging, since last year we have entered a super-aged society, with the proportion of the population aged 65 and over exceeding 20%.”

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Senior Secretary Meeting held at the Blue House on the 11th. September 11, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

President Lee further stated, “Given the complex nature of the population issue, we must address not only low birth rates and aging but also factors such as balanced regional development, diversification of family structures, youth employment, and work-family balance. We need to make comprehensive efforts to establish fundamental countermeasures.” He emphasized, “It is also necessary to build a close cooperative system between central and local governments so that best practices can be expanded nationwide.”

Additionally, President Lee commented regarding the transition of the Low Fertility and Aging Society Committee into the Population Strategy Committee, saying, “A new chapter has opened for South Korea’s population policy.” He remarked, “Fortunately, the number of births has been steadily increasing recently. We must do our utmost to discover a wide range of practical solutions so that this trend is not a temporary phenomenon, but leads to a fundamental shift in the demographic structure.”

Meanwhile, President Lee shared his reflections on his state visit to France from the 6th to the 10th, and announced that the first Korea-Central Asia Summit will be held in Seoul next week. He stated, “As everyone is aware, the global order is rapidly becoming more multipolar. Now is the time to join hands with more countries and further expand our diplomatic presence to more diverse regions.”

He continued, “As the international order enters a period of extreme turbulence, it is more important than ever to strengthen our capabilities, broaden our diplomatic horizons, and find wise solutions to various challenges through close cooperation with the international community.” He added, “We must quietly pioneer this path, always thinking of our people and our national interests for a better tomorrow.”

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