'Pragmatism is not the opposite of reform,' Lee says at Cabinet meeting

President Lee Jae Myung pushed back Tuesday against criticism that his second-half economic growth strategy neglects reform and welfare, saying pragmatism and reform are not opposites but sequential steps.

Lee chaired the 30th Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae Tuesday morning, saying "reform requires following proper procedures, persuading people of its practical value, and delivering concrete results." The remarks were a direct response to criticism from some quarters that he has focused too narrowly on growth and the economy.

Cheong Wa Dae chief spokesperson Kang Yu-jung relayed the meeting's contents in a written briefing. She said the session included a discussion on a report prepared by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on the results of a public deliberation on the age threshold for juveniles under criminal age. Five ministerial reports followed: a plan to gather public opinion on real estate policy; outcomes and follow-up measures from Lee's attendance at the NATO summit and state visit to Mongolia; emergency governance and response to the war in the Middle East; the second-half economic growth strategy for 2026; and suicide prevention measures for people in financial crisis.

Kang said the National Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission also presented a request for pan-government cooperation in implementing a road map to improve public acceptance of civil complaints, and the Office for Government Policy Coordination submitted a request for cooperation on a public contest for regulatory rationalization. The closed session reviewed and approved three bills, 18 presidential decrees and six general agenda items.

Of those, Kang said 13 items were related to the Lee administration's state agenda, including a partial amendment to the enforcement decree of the Artificial Intelligence Basic Act — aimed at building an "AI highway" to make South Korea one of the world's top three AI powers — and a partial amendment to the enforcement decree of the Commercial Act, intended to drive capital market reform toward what the administration calls a "Korea premium."

Lee also flagged several other issues and called for improvements. Citing media reports that companies linked to local council members had been awarded sole-source contracts with local governments, he said, "Ordinary citizens all know about this, but those at the top do not," and urged officials to "constantly engage in discussions with frontline staff."

After receiving a report from the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on the results of the public deliberation on the juvenile criminal age threshold and its recommended policy reforms, Lee asked detailed questions about the current standards, the actual situation and appropriate levels of punishment.

He said he thought the age threshold "should be lowered," expressing support for the change, but directed officials to "discuss again next time and gather public opinion on the scope — whether to lower it partially or across all crimes, and whether to lower it by one year or two," Kang said.

Lee also raised the gap between farm-gate prices and consumer prices in connection with inflation policy. "Urban consumers ask why things are so expensive, while farmers ask why prices are so low," he said, adding that agriculture is a strategic industry that cannot be left entirely to market forces. "Investment may be needed. Please find a way," he said, calling for fundamental reform of the retail distribution system.

On mifepristone, the abortion pill, Lee said it was "not right to leave the situation unaddressed" when women who need it are obtaining it through overseas direct purchases and accidents are occurring because it is not approved domestically.

After questioning the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and the Ministry of Government Legislation on actual usage patterns and developments since the Constitutional Court's ruling, Lee said that setting a fixed legal gestational limit may not be an absolute truth, given that standards can vary depending on a woman's health condition. He suggested that "leaving it to the conscience and professional discretion of doctors is one option," calling for consideration of a middle-ground solution.

Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said in response that the matter is highly sensitive and that she would prepare an agenda item together with the relevant ministries for further discussion.

At the close of the meeting, Lee congratulated Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and South Jeolla Province-Gwangju integrated special city Mayor Min Hyeong-bae, both attending a Cabinet meeting for the first time since their local governments were launched, and invited them to say a few words. When Oh mentioned that he had delivered real estate-related discussion materials to Cheong Wa Dae, Lee directed him to also report on why reconstruction and redevelopment projects in Seoul have been so heavily delayed, along with proposed remedies.

Kang also shared some details from the closed session. She said Lee asked Foreign Minister Cho Hyun how far along the reorganization of overseas diplomatic missions had progressed, and directed him to take stock not only of the management and oversight of those missions but also of the agencies and personnel dispatched to the respective countries.

Lee also stressed the need to strengthen oversight and auditing of overseas missions, directing officials to conduct a substantive review of organizational structure, operational status, attendance and work performance, Kang said.