A bold vision for an irreplaceable Republic of Korea is now unfolding!

My beloved fellow Koreans, 

Having set sail amid a national crisis without even a moment to catch its breath, the government, founded on popular sovereignty, now marks its first anniversary. 

We have pressed forward each day in a desperate mission to restore and normalize the Republic of Korea, carrying with us the earnest hopes and aspirations of 52 million citizens. 

Over the past year, we have weathered three tumultuous crises that threatened the lives of our people and the future of the Republic of Korea.

These were the crisis of democracy brought on by the insurrection and the imposition of martial law, the crisis in trade and security triggered by upheavals in the international order and the crisis in people’s livelihoods caused by war in the Middle East. Yet, even amid these relentless challenges, we have once again confirmed that no hardship is insurmountable when the great people of the Republic of Korea stand united in their extraordinary resilience.

We have restored a constitutional order and democracy that had been shaken, proudly proclaimed to the world the return of a democratic Korea, and are paving a hopeful path of economic growth driven by a revitalized democracy.

Guided by the conviction that complex challenges demand our collective wisdom, we have made the voices of 52 million sovereign citizens the compass of national governance.

We have enhanced transparency in governance by communicating directly with the people and strengthened accountability in public office. I believe these are the most promising changes my administration has made over the past year.

My fellow citizens,

Over the past year, despite the series of crises, we have confirmed the Republic of Korea’s potential and identified various possibilities and opportunities.

The unprecedented crisis of democracy became a chance to demonstrate the remarkable strength of the great people of the Republic of Korea. The geopolitical crisis brought about by upheavals in the international order became a chance to prove the Republic of Korea’s outstanding industrial and technological competitiveness.

Meeting with leaders from around the world on the diplomatic stage over the past year, I came to realize that the world is paying close attention to the Republic of Korea.

Every maritime nation wants to cooperate with the Republic of Korea. Every country seeking to defend its territory wants to stand with the Republic of Korea.

The world is watching to see how the Republic of Korea solves humanity’s universal challenges, from the sweeping industrial transformation driven by artificial intelligence and the climate crisis to low birth rates and regional depopulation, as well as deepening polarization and inequality.

If we are the first to blaze a new trail, the Republic of Korea’s pursuit of challenges will become a new global standard and benchmark.

We will make 2026 the first year for the vision of an “irreplaceable Republic of Korea” – a country no nation can stand in for.

Building on the Republic of Korea’s experience, capabilities, values and inherent appeal, as well as our collective effort to overcome the national crisis, we will usher in a new era for the K-initiative.

We will become the first nation to fully integrate AI across industries and everyday life, the preferred partner for countries pursuing self-reliant defense, the foremost country among non-oil producers when it comes to the energy transition and the nation with the most efficient use of land. We will make a great leap forward – from being a nation that captures the world’s attention to becoming an indispensable nation.

To this end, let me outline my administration’s four key policy goals.

First, we will work to establish our country as an industrial powerhouse that holds a huge, commanding lead – one where every citizen and every region shares in the opportunities and benefits of growth.

By harnessing the full capabilities of both the government and the private sector, we will secure an unrivaled competitive edge in cutting-edge industries.

We live in an ever-shifting era of competition for technological hegemony. The moment we grow complacent with a slight lead in any given field, we risk falling behind. 

To drive the Republic of Korea’s future prosperity, we will move beyond semiconductors, continuing to identify and foster growth engines with world-leading competitiveness across a wide range of industries. 

Above all, the fruits of growth must not remain confined to a select few corporations, regions or sectors.

The gains and opportunities generated by the collective efforts of our entire society must extend to small and medium-sized enterprises and business ventures, be uniformly spread throughout every region and sector and translate into tangible changes in the people’s daily lives.

We will soon unveil to the Korean people a large-scale investment project, which will represent a fundamental transformation of our growth strategy.

We will also ensure that the National Growth Fund, which has received strong public support, fully serves its purpose of delivering “growth for all.” And we will determine how to most effectively utilize the surplus tax revenues generated by the semiconductor industry.

I firmly believe that only when people trust that the growth of our strategic high-tech industries will lead to improvements in their lives can we pursue bolder national investments and continuous innovation together with the people.

Second, we will work to make Korea a diplomatic and security powerhouse that safeguards the peace and pride of all citizens.

Over the past year, the Republic of Korea has proven that it is no longer a small East Asian country that lies at the mercy of surrounding great powers, nor a weak latecomer that passively follows shifts in the international order.

We will spare no effort to gain concrete results from the significant diplomatic and security achievements of the past year, including the revision of the Korea–U.S. Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, efforts to introduce nuclear-powered submarines and moves to restore wartime operational control ahead of schedule.

Guided by the fundamental principle that peace is the foundation of growth and our people’s livelihoods, we will also steadfastly pursue peace, stability, coexistence and shared prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.

The Republic of Korea – with its democratic system, industrial competitiveness and cultural influence – has already become an exemplary nation, one that countries worldwide aspire to learn from and emulate.

Building on the ironclad ROK–U.S. alliance, a strong, self-reliant national defense posture and pragmatic, national interest-focused diplomacy, we will strengthen our standing and role as a responsible global power.

Third, we will strive to build a properly functioning society with norms and rules that are agreed upon by all citizens and consistently upheld.

How can we expect innovation and a desire to take on challenges in a country where those who break the rules are rewarded and those who rely on unfair practices and shortcuts succeed?

We will resolutely rectify any instances of deceit, unfair privileges and injustice that undermine the people’s lives, no matter how minor they may seem. We will push even more vigorously to help “normalize the abnormal” throughout society.

We will strictly crack down on wrongdoings that harm people’s livelihoods and disrupt market order, including stock price manipulation and real estate-related crimes. We will steadfastly implement structural reforms in order to do away with unfair privileges.

Fourth, as a government devoted to saving lives, we will do everything we can to keep the people safe and help them live with dignity.

Neither the status of an economic and industrial powerhouse nor the achievement of becoming a diplomatic and security powerhouse can ever be a source of pride in a country where people undergo life-or-death struggles with debt and risk fatal accidents in the very workplaces where they strive to earn a living.

A state’s core duty is safeguarding the people’s lives. We will protect the people by creating a thick, unbreachable “social safety mattress” of life-saving financial support, workplaces where people can work with peace of mind, a welfare system that leaves no one behind and crime-free streets. In tandem with this, we will manage public administration in a proactive, meticulous manner. 

We will establish a system in which people’s lives and safety are prioritized in all areas of state affairs, including finance, welfare, labor, healthcare, public security and disaster responses.

Fellow citizens,

As has been the case during the past year, the sole guiding principle of state governance will be the lives of the people.

To safeguard people’s livelihoods in this era of great upheaval, we will reinvent ourselves as an innovative and pragmatic government that leads the way in adapting to change.

We will break away from conventional practices, make extraordinary judgments and take swift action. The government will not just lead innovation, but will itself become a model of innovation.

We will continue to evolve into a government that has perfect coordination between ministries and agencies when it comes to the people’s livelihoods, that engages in fierce debates yet executes plans swiftly and that embraces any policy benefitting the people’s lives.

We will never compromise when it comes to the people’s lives. Nor will we rest content for even a single moment when it comes to the nation’s future.

Treating each day as if it were the final day of my term, I will give my all in serving the people.

In this way, we will challenge ourselves to do even better than during the past year of the government of popular sovereignty. The government will make the next four years even more promising than the year behind us. We will fulfill the mission entrusted to us with a heavier sense of responsibility than during my first year.

I am confident that the great people of Korea, to whom this nation truly belongs, will always stand with us on this journey toward a new leap forward for the Republic of Korea.

Just as we have done so far, using the wisdom of 52 million sovereign citizens as our guiding light, we will advance unhesitatingly toward the goal of becoming a nation that truly belongs to the people, a Republic of Korea where everyone is happy together.

Thank you.