President Lee: "A great wave of opportunity is rising for our economy... It must lead to higher incomes"

South Korea's Q2 current account surplus was the world's second-largest, after China's
Lee: "I will further strengthen the foundations for growth"

President Lee Jaemyung quoted John F. Kennedy's remark, "A rising tide lifts all boats," on Oct. 25, saying, "A great wave of opportunity is also rising for our economy."

On the same day, President Lee shared on X (formerly Twitter) an article reporting that South Korea's current account surplus in the second quarter of this year was the second-largest after China's, and made the remark.

President Lee Jae-myung listens to remarks from attendees at the second plenary meeting of the Regulatory Rationalization Committee at the Blue House on Oct. 23, 2026. Yonhap News Agency

President Lee explained, "In the second quarter of this year, South Korea's current account surplus exceeded the combined surpluses of Germany and Japan," adding, "This is an achievement our companies have made in global markets, led by semiconductors, a key industry in the age of artificial intelligence (AI)."

President Lee continued, "South Korea is now moving beyond being a country that follows advanced nations and becoming a leading country that shapes the course of the global economy," stressing, "We must seize this opportunity to enhance our industrial competitiveness and raise our potential growth rate."

President Lee also said, "What matters is making this wave of growth a force that transforms the lives of all citizens," adding, "The vitality of the economy must lead to more investment and jobs, higher incomes, and greater ease in daily life."

He said, "The reason economic growth is necessary is to improve people's lives," adding, "I will further strengthen the foundations for growth so that South Korea's advance leads to a better tomorrow for every citizen."

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