On the 25th, President Lee Jae-myung discussed creating quality jobs, attracting corporations, and developing talent with local residents during a town hall meeting held in Busan.
At the meeting, a young man who identified himself as a 'Pukyong National University graduate' asked, 'What plans do you have for creating professional jobs that young people find attractive and developing talent through the aggregation of corporations like HMM?'
In response, President Lee said, 'That's a very difficult question,' adding, 'We are having this conversation to find out what is feasible. It's necessary to hear opinions from each department, experts, and those on the front lines.'
He continued, 'Everyone acknowledges that there should be many good jobs. However, figuring out how to achieve this is realistically not easy.' He smiled and said, 'If I knew all that, I wouldn't be here.' He added, 'I will do my best to prepare the necessary measures as much as possible.'
President Lee suggested, 'If you have any ideas, please feel free to share,' as participants raised their hands to request the floor. He lightened the atmosphere with, 'This isn't a Lee Jae-myung hearing, so that won't be much help.'
Another young person from Busan proposed during the town hall meeting that the four local national universities, including Busan National University, should be integrated and linked to establish a world-class marine specialization university system and urged for stricter mandatory employment of local talent by public institutions relocating to the region.
In response, President Lee noted, 'The establishment of a specialized university system aligns with the government's policy to foster hub universities. It's a good suggestion,' adding, 'I think it's important to enhance the competitiveness of local universities.'
Regarding strengthening the mandatory employment of local talent, he said, 'Public institutions only account for a very small portion of annual new hires, so saying that this will bring a tremendous change to the local economy is a bit lacking.' He added, 'I will reassess what an appropriate ratio is.' He emphasized that resolving the issue of local youth outmigration requires government financial input, strengthening the capabilities of educational institutions, and building cultural infrastructure.