Lee vows 'zero wage theft' society, stronger support for vulnerable borrowers

President Lee Jae Myung chaired a senior staff meeting Monday ahead of his departure for the UN General Assembly and a state visit to Mexico, directing officials to stabilize livelihoods during the chuseok holiday period and push forward efforts to build a "zero wage theft" society. He also called on officials to tighten financial support systems for vulnerable borrowers so the public can feel the benefits of economic recovery.

Cheong Wa Dae Chief Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said in a written briefing that Lee presided over the 47th senior staff meeting at Cheong Wa Dae that day.

At the meeting, Lee expressed gratitude to workers who remained on duty during the chuseok holiday before turning to pressing livelihood issues. He noted that government field inspections had helped reduce the scale of unpaid wages and the number of affected workers this year, but said difficulties persisted. "Strengthen oversight of industries with frequent wage violations and prepare without delay for the amended Framework Act on the Construction Industry, which takes effect next year — accelerate institutional reforms toward a society with zero wage theft," he said.

Lee said he felt "a heavy sense of responsibility" over the fact that the public had not sufficiently felt the benefits of improvements in key economic indicators — including exports, the growth rate and household income — or the progress made on the "three mega-projects" and "seven SEED projects." He went on to say he would "think deeply about what people need most, approach governance with humility and refine policy in detail," urging officials to focus their efforts on delivering real changes in people's lives.

On his upcoming UN General Assembly attendance and Mexico visit, Lee said he would "make it an opportunity to expand South Korea's diplomatic reach and advance national interests," adding that he would "prioritize the lives, safety and interests of the Korean people in responding to external challenges." He called on the public and the political community to unite, saying there was no room for factional or partisan divisions when it came to the country's future and national interests.

Lee added that officials should continue to reform unreasonable systems and entrenched interests, while showing consideration for those who face setbacks during the process of change and minimizing confusion through dialogue and careful deliberation.

In a closed session that followed, Lee received a briefing from the economic growth secretariat on measures to improve support systems for vulnerable borrowers and examined in detail the Bank of Korea's profit structure and the scale of fiscal resources devoted to supporting financially vulnerable citizens. "Even if the economy improves and the growth rate rises, if people feel a sense of deprivation — asking themselves 'what does this mean for me?' — we must correct the fundamental problem," he said, directing officials to pursue structural reforms and secure a stable financial support model for ordinary citizens. He also received a briefing from the social affairs secretariat on plans to strengthen retirement pension functions through a labor-management-government task force, and called for thorough preparation.