President Lee Jae-myung on the 16th, regarding the Middle East war, said, "Korea has now risen to the ranks of a leading nation drawing the world's attention," and added, "We have a rightful duty that we can no longer turn away from, and must not turn away from, such as universal values like world peace, international norms, and human rights protection." It appears to be a message in response to recent back-and-forth with the opposition party and the Israeli government after sharing on X (formerly Twitter) a video related to Israel's war crimes.
That morning at the Blue House, Lee presided over a senior secretaries' meeting and said, "This war, along with the task of industrial structure innovation and supply chain diversification, has provided an opportunity to newly revisit our diplomatic standing and role."
Lee said, "Especially from the standpoint of the national interest, we must steadily build the trust and respect of people in other countries so that we can gain greater national interest in the long term," and added, "As a responsible global leading nation, we must carry out our duties confidently and unwaveringly, raise our national standing, and properly protect the national interest."
He also mentioned Presidential Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik's results on securing crude oil and naphtha supplies. Lee said, "In a difficult situation, the chief of staff worked hard to secure alternative supply lines with four countries in the Middle East and Central Asia for 273 million barrels of crude oil and 2.1 million tons of naphtha," and added, "We must swiftly proceed with follow-up consultations and related procedures so that the volumes secured this time are quickly brought into the country."
At the meeting that day, Lee will discuss with aides plans for "manufacturing innovation" in response to the deepening geopolitical risks originating in the Middle East. Lee said, "From our standpoint, where manufacturing accounts for a large share, we must embark on a bold innovation with the nation's fate at stake," and added, "The state should prioritize protecting advanced-technology talent from a national security perspective, and the government should take the lead in creating initial demand for innovative products through public procurement."
He also stressed the establishment of "sovereign wealth funds." Lee said, "We must make thorough preparations for the 'Korea-style establishment of sovereign wealth funds' to innovate regional manufacturing capabilities, build an AI-based manufacturing ecosystem, and secure stable manufacturing sovereignty."