Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik presented "Irreplaceable Korea" as the core governing principle of the Lee Jae-myung administration as it enters its second year in office, urging the Democratic Party to "become an 'irreplaceable party' that best responds to public demands." His message called for strengthening cooperation among the party, government, and presidential office to build growth momentum through public-private partnerships to foster advanced industries including semiconductors and through region-led growth, while ensuring that all citizens can feel the results.
Kang delivered a lecture on "Governing Principles and State Affairs Management Plans for the Second Year in Office" at a Democratic Party lawmakers' workshop held Wednesday at the Seoul Dragon City Hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
Kim Sung-hoe, the Democratic Party's floor spokesperson, told reporters after the lecture that "Chief of Staff Kang presented 'Irreplaceable Korea' as the core keyword for the second year in office and explained it by dividing it into four keywords."
The first keyword Kang presented was "public-private cooperation." He argued that the government must actively support corporate investment and innovation at a time when advanced industries such as semiconductors are achieving explosive growth. He explained that the government should swiftly reflect corporate demands in policy and strengthen its supporting role.
The second keyword was "region-led growth." The concept calls for creating a new model of balanced development in which local governments first propose regional development strategies and the central government responds, amid deepening concentration in the greater Seoul area driven by industrial growth. "There was also an explanation to the effect that the Honam region could be a good example," Kim said.
The third keyword was "growth for all." This means ensuring that the fruits of growth are distributed evenly to all citizens rather than being concentrated in specific classes or regions. Kim explained that the final keyword, "rules," emphasized the need to establish fair order and principles during the growth process.
Kang urged the Democratic Party to "become an irreplaceable party." Kim said, "Chief of Staff Kang made a request that the party become one that responds well to public demand, given that the public changes very easily and that politics is a 100% demand-driven market."
In the discussion that followed the lecture, youth policy and the issue of securing power infrastructure in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) emerged as key topics. Democratic Party lawmakers proposed measures to supplement youth policy and power supply measures in response to the spread of AI, and discussions were held on these issues.
