Lee urges bold supply push, calls for all-out effort from every ministry

President also calls for better promotion of safety record, stricter police reform

President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a Cabinet meeting held at Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday. [Yonhap]
President Lee Jae Myung speaks at a Cabinet meeting held at Cheong Wa Dae on Tuesday. [Yonhap]

President Lee Jae Myung told the newly appointed minister of land, infrastructure and transport at a closed Cabinet meeting Tuesday that the nation's fate hinges on housing supply, ordering bold measures and an all-out response from every ministry. He also called on the government to more actively publicize reductions in casualties achieved through systemic reforms, and reiterated his demand for strict discipline and reform commensurate with the expanded powers of the police.

Cheong Wa Dae Chief Spokesperson Kang Yu-jung conveyed the president's closed-session remarks from the 42nd Cabinet meeting, which Lee chaired that morning, in a written briefing Tuesday.

Addressing newly appointed Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Hong Ji-seon, Lee said the ministry's role was "extremely important" and urged an all-out effort on rapid housing supply policy. He specifically asked Hong to "communicate in detail to the public the trend of recent increases in housing ground-breakings and move-ins in the Greater Seoul area," and ordered that "every effort be made to secure supply sites, and that ministers of relevant agencies approach the task of accelerating supply with a willingness to do whatever it takes."

Lee added that "the nation's fate rests with the land minister," encouraging Hong to think boldly about supply measures and to actively address staffing shortages at the Korea Land and Housing Corporation and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Lee also called for a fundamental shift in how the government promotes its achievements. "Publicizing results is at least as important as achieving them," he said, adding that "when structural outcomes arise from changes to our government systems — not just incidental results — they must be communicated in a way the public can feel." He stressed that the government should effectively publicize "lives saved through reductions in deaths from industrial accidents, suicide, landslides, floods, heat waves, water accidents and other disasters."

On the upcoming national audit, Lee urged a receptive posture. "False attacks or gross exaggerations must be countered, but the criticism itself is very valuable," he said. "We should be grateful for the National Assembly's observations and correct whatever is found to be wrong."

Lee also renewed his call for rigorous police reform. "Securing professional investigative capabilities through education, as well as the overall credibility of the police, is extremely important," he said, adding that "as authority expands, firm discipline is also necessary." He went on to say that "responsibility grows in proportion to one's standing," and urged police to "approach reform with a truly earnest resolve."


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