![President Lee Jae Myung delivers an address at the 22nd Overseas Koreans Advisory Council Americas regional conference at Inspire Resort on Yeongjongdo, Incheon, on Wednesday. [Yonhap]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/09/03/rcv.YNA.20260902.PYH2026090214890001300_P1.jpg)
President Lee Jae Myung said Thursday that the government's share of public funds injected during the 1997 Asian financial crisis will be fully repaid through next year's budget, offering his gratitude to the public for seeing the effort through.
Lee shared a related news article on X, formerly Twitter, that morning, writing: "After 30 years, we are repaying the last debt of the financial crisis."
"The repayment of public funds mobilized to prevent national insolvency during the 1997 IMF financial crisis will be completed with next year's budget," Lee wrote. "Just as the Korean people overcame the nation's darkest moment 30 years ago through their own strength, it is thanks to their unwavering efforts over those same 30 years that we are now able to bring this to a close."
He went on to say: "I will not forget that time. People of Korea, you have worked so hard — thank you."
sunpine@heraldcorp.com
