President Lee Jae-myung said in a New Year's address on the 1st that "we will make this year a year that runs powerfully like the red horse, the 'first year of Korea's great leap forward,'" stressing that "we will achieve a sweeping leap and growth in all fields, including politics, the economy, society, culture, diplomacy, and security."
Lee said, "The fruits of growth through a great leap forward will not be monopolized by a select few but shared by all," adding, "We will decisively root out expediency and unfairness that remain throughout society and devote ourselves to building a 'society without foul play or privilege.'"
To that end, he proposed changing the growth paradigm. Lee laid out five paths of major transition.
First is a major transition from "capital area–centered growth" to "region-led growth." Lee said, "The major transition from a 'single-capital-area system' to a 'five hubs and three special zones system' is not charity or consideration for the regions but an essential strategy to drive Korea's re-leap," adding, "The farther from the capital area, the thicker and bolder the support will be."
He said, "We will use Korea's territory more broadly in a multi-polar system, with Seoul as the economic capital, the central region as the administrative capital, and the southern region as the maritime capital," adding, "From the semiconductor belt in the energy-rich South to an artificial intelligence testbed city and a renewable energy cluster, we will design a structure in which advanced industry development is linked to regional development."
He then said he would shift from "growth centered on a few large companies" to "growth for all," which evenly shares opportunities and gains.
Lee said, "The shared economic achievements made by the community's capacity and the efforts of the entire public must flow to small and medium-sized businesses and startups and fill the pockets of the people," adding, "We will spare no support so that young businesspeople and founders can challenge freely and boldly and fully pioneer the path of innovation."
He also emphasized safety and culture. Lee pledged to add 2,000 labor inspectors and create workplace guardians, and also proposed economic growth mediated by culture.
Lastly, he pledged stable growth underpinned by peace. Lee said, "This year as well, as a 'pacemaker,' we will actively support U.S.-North Korea talks and repeatedly seek to restore inter-Korean relations," adding, "With the South Korea-U.S. alliance that has evolved into a 'comprehensive strategic alliance' and strong independent defense, we will make sure the peaceful coexistence of the Korean Peninsula can take a meaningful step forward."
Lee emphasized, "So that 2026 can be recorded as the 'first year of a great leap forward through a major transition,' we will trust only the people and stride forward," adding, "We will not avoid reforms whose immediate results are not visible."