Kim Yong-beom calls for policies to spread growth benefits to those left behind

Kim Yong-beom, chief of the presidential policy office at Cheong Wa Dae, said Saturday that economic growth remains "only half the story" if its benefits do not reach the lives of individual citizens.

Kim posted a message titled "Autumn Letter" on Facebook, saying that reversing a long-term decline and creating new growth opportunities represents "meaningful progress," but adding that "if many citizens are still asking, 'So when does my life get better?' — there is still a long way to go."

He said the AI- and semiconductor-driven growth strategy is "opening an unprecedented opportunity for a leap forward for South Korea," but cautioned that its benefits are not reaching all citizens at the same pace. "Companies, talent and capital that have embraced new technology are seeing great opportunities open up, while workers, small and medium-sized enterprises, young people and regional communities standing at the edge of industrial transition may feel the burden of change first," he said.

He described this as "the problem of K-shaped growth" and went on to say that "only by solving this problem together can the fruits of growth reach the lives of more citizens."

Kim said the time has come to begin investing in the revival of individual citizens alongside the broader industrial leap. "We must shift the center of gravity of state affairs, building on the hard-won momentum of growth," he said.

He also noted that the Bank of Korea had announced a growth rate outlook of 3.3 percent for this year and 2.9 percent for next year, saying the figures confirmed again that "the recovery we have painstakingly revived is not a temporary rebound but stands on a solid foundation."

Kim called for fiscal policy that "first looks to the places where the warmth of recovery arrives last, and rebuilds human potential," saying it is time to focus policy efforts on spreading the gains "more quickly and evenly into every corner of citizens' lives."

He proposed easing the housing burden so that people do not have to give up their futures because of residential costs, and expanding income and career opportunities for those who want to work but have not been able to find openings.

He added that workers who lose their jobs due to industrial transition should receive strong income support and transition assistance until they move to their next position, and that citizens seeking new knowledge and skills in the AI era should have access to education and training "regardless of age or circumstances."