What Lee pledged to do as president
Lee Jae-myung, who claimed victory with the highest number of votes in South Korea's history, pledged to transform the country into a top-tier economic powerhouse by heavily investing in future industries, particularly artificial intelligence and cultural exports.
He plans to boost national AI competitiveness by providing infrastructure such as data centers, increased public-private funding and regulatory reforms.
He said he would work to support Korea's content industries and those related to arts and culture, which he said could generate a total of 300 trillion won ($218 billion) in sales annually and 50 trillion won in exports by 2030.
Key industries, including defense and strategic technology, will see tax incentives and targeted research and development, while food tech and green bio innovations will reshape agriculture into a smart and sustainable sector.
Strengthening democracy
Lee promised robust reforms to restore democratic order after the December 2024 martial law crisis. These include reinforcing civilian control over military powers, reducing the president's martial law authority and ending political retaliation practices.
He aims to improve transparency in institutions such as the National Human Rights Commission and the Board of Audit. Judiciary and prosecution reforms include separating investigative and prosecutorial powers, expanding public legal access and introducing faster, more open trials.
A key goal is to build an accountable, rights-respecting democracy anchored in public trust, he said.
Revitalizing households
Lee's third pledge focuses on easing household debt, supporting small business recovery and building a fair economic system.
He proposed comprehensive debt restructuring for those affected by COVID-19 and martial law, as well as expanded financial support for small merchants.
Measures include rent transparency, fee reductions, and local economic revitalization through digital and regional support. Lee also aims to curb predatory lending, reform housing policies to reduce rental fraud and burdens, regulate platform economy commissions and improve financial consumer protection.
Corporate reform will target unfair practices, market manipulation and ensure shareholder rights.
Practical foreign, security policy
Lee vowed to pursue pragmatic diplomacy tailored to changing global dynamics. His administration will strengthen economic security, diversify trade and diplomatic ties —especially with the G20 and EU — and reform export strategies.
Inter-Korean peace efforts will resume, with an emphasis on denuclearization and military tension reduction. Lee supports maintaining a strong US alliance while advocating for wartime operational control return.
Additional policies include climate diplomacy, diaspora protection and supply chain safeguards. A broader diplomatic footprint will be realized through the upcoming APEC event in Gyeongju, strengthening ties with major countries in economic security.
National safety and public health
To ensure public safety, Lee proposed strengthening crime prevention, disaster response and medical access. Measures include cracking down on violent crime, expanding victim protection, and improving traffic, construction and aviation safety.
On health care, Lee aims to resolve medical service gaps through better compensation, workforce expansion and a nationalized emergency response system. He supports telemedicine and improved care access for older adults and vulnerable individuals. A public dialogue-based health reform committee is suggested to address system sustainability and reduce insurance burdens, while reinforcing public trust in medical institutions.
Sejong, regional empowerment
Lee pledges to complete Sejong's status as the administrative capital by building a National Assembly annex and presidential office in the city, which is about 110 kilometers south of Seoul.
Lee said he would push for the complete relocation of these institutions in the long term and make Sejong the nation's official capital.
He will decentralize national growth through the '5 Megaregions and 3 Special Autonomous Provinces' strategy, boosting infrastructure and local autonomy.
The plan includes expanding regional rail networks, encouraging strategic industries in each region and easing dominance focused on capital-region universities.
A labor-respecting society
Lee commits to building a society where all workers' rights are protected, whether regular employees, freelancers or platform laborers.
Legislative changes will guarantee union rights for subcontractors and improve wage fairness via an earnings distribution system.
Occupational safety, particularly for high-risk jobs, will be a priority, along with broader workers' compensation coverage. Gender equality in public institutions and reduced working hours to 4.5 working days a week are also on the agenda.
Rights of workers in cultural sectors and disability access laws will be reinforced to foster an inclusive, fair labor environment that values human dignity.
A country where all generations thrive
To ensure a dignified life across all generations, Lee pledged to expand income support systems, ease living costs and strengthen welfare.
He said he will raise the child funding age to 18, expand housing and tax benefits, and increase access to caregiving services, especially for the elderly and people with disabilities.
Educational equity will be pursued through stronger public schooling and reduced private tutoring reliance. For youth, housing aid, job training and savings programs will be expanded. Measures for rural, single-person and single-parent households also aim to create a more equitable and secure society.
Overcoming low birthrate, aging
To tackle Korea's demographic crisis, Lee proposed boosting birth rates and care for older adults through targeted welfare. Policies include increased child care tax credits, subsidies for extracurricular activities and special housing for newlyweds.
He promised that public day care and after-school programs will be expanded, and disability-inclusive care systems will be established.
For aging populations, the government will support senior-friendly housing, improve dementia care and expand community-based medical services
He also proposed aligning retirement and pension eligibility through expanding retirement age and reforming the housing and pension system to guarantee income security in the later phase of life.
Active climate response
Lee pledged aggressive action on climate change through carbon reduction and green energy expansion. South Korea will set ambitious emission targets and revise its Carbon Neutrality Framework Act.
He aims to shut down coal plants by 2040, expand solar and wind power, and invest in smart grids and energy highways. Industries will receive support to transition to low-carbon practices, with incentives for clean tech innovation.
Other initiatives include green remodeling, EV adoption and eco-friendly agriculture. Biodiversity restoration and plastic reduction will also be prioritized, alongside plans for a 'just transition' in vulnerable communities.
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Lee, who attended the committee's briefing session, stressed that the committee's overall five-year plan should not be seen as finalized government policy, but as a set of recommendations. "These are not a confirmed plan," Lee said. "It is a set of proposals outlining the desirable direction of state affairs. We will take them into account, and they may be revised through the process of consultation and coordination." He added that the government would "thoroughly and swiftly review" the committee's proposals and implement "as much as possible within feasible bounds." Caution remains within the military. Gen. Xavier Brunson, commander of the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command, reiterated last week that the transition must proceed under the agreed conditions. "If we choose to take shortcuts, that could endanger the readiness of the force here on the peninsula," Brunson said during a press conference at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. 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The committee emphasized that any path toward unification must be grounded in public consensus, pledging to broaden civic participation in policymaking, promote peace and unification education and foster a more balanced public perception of North Korea. In broader diplomacy, the Lee administration promised a pragmatic approach based on national interest. The government seeks to evolve the alliance with the US into a future-oriented comprehensive partnership, pursue forward-looking relations with Japan, deepen strategic ties with China and manage relations with Russia in a stable and constructive manner. The plan also reaffirmed Seoul's commitment to expanding its outreach to G7 nations, building upon the New Southern and New Northern policies, and to strengthening engagement with countries in the Global South.
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