President Lee Jae Myung delivers a budget policy speech at the 11th plenary session of the November regular session of the National Assembly in Seoul on Monday. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
President Lee Jae Myung delivers a budget policy speech at the 11th plenary session of the November regular session of the National Assembly in Seoul on Monday. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)

President Lee Jae Myung on Monday outlined plans to secure future growth engines through record-level fiscal spending while ensuring the benefits of that growth reach ordinary citizens and are distributed more broadly, in a budget policy speech at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul.

President Lee Jae Myung arrives at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Monday ahead of a budget policy speech on the government's 2027 fiscal year budget proposal. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
President Lee Jae Myung arrives at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Monday ahead of a budget policy speech on the government's 2027 fiscal year budget proposal. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
President Lee Jae Myung greets People Power Party lawmakers staging a placard protest as Lee makes his way to the main chamber of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Monday morning ahead of the budget policy speech. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
President Lee Jae Myung greets People Power Party lawmakers staging a placard protest as Lee makes his way to the main chamber of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Monday morning ahead of the budget policy speech. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
President Lee Jae Myung exchanges greetings with Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae in a pre-session meeting room at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Monday morning before delivering the budget policy speech. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
President Lee Jae Myung exchanges greetings with Chief Justice Jo Hee-dae in a pre-session meeting room at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Monday morning before delivering the budget policy speech. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)

"We must make a great transformation — away from 'growth for the few,' where opportunities and gains are concentrated in specific regions, certain classes and a handful of companies, and toward 'growth for all,' where every region and every citizen shares equally in the opportunities and fruits of growth," Lee said.

President Lee Jae Myung delivers a budget policy speech at the 11th plenary session of the November regular session of the National Assembly on Monday. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
President Lee Jae Myung delivers a budget policy speech at the 11th plenary session of the November regular session of the National Assembly on Monday. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
President Lee Jae Myung delivers a budget policy speech at the 11th plenary session of the November regular session of the National Assembly on Monday. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
President Lee Jae Myung delivers a budget policy speech at the 11th plenary session of the November regular session of the National Assembly on Monday. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
President Lee Jae Myung delivers a budget policy speech on the 2027 fiscal year budget proposal and fund management plan at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Monday. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
President Lee Jae Myung delivers a budget policy speech on the 2027 fiscal year budget proposal and fund management plan at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Monday. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)

Lee also said the government would move swiftly to build a smart, elite military — securing the capabilities needed for the early repatriation of wartime operational control, along with key assets including nuclear-powered submarines and the KF-21 fighter jet, while establishing AI-, robot- and drone-based manned-unmanned combined systems.

President Lee Jae Myung delivers a budget policy speech on the 2027 government budget proposal at the main chamber of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Monday. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
President Lee Jae Myung delivers a budget policy speech on the 2027 government budget proposal at the main chamber of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, on Monday. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
People Power Party lawmakers walk out of the main chamber of the National Assembly immediately after President Lee Jae Myung concludes his budget policy speech on Monday. Rep. Jo Gyeong-tae was the only People Power Party lawmaker to remain in his seat and exchange greetings with Lee. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
People Power Party lawmakers walk out of the main chamber of the National Assembly immediately after President Lee Jae Myung concludes his budget policy speech on Monday. Rep. Jo Gyeong-tae was the only People Power Party lawmaker to remain in his seat and exchange greetings with Lee. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
People Power Party Rep. Jo Gyeong-tae remains in his seat at the National Assembly after President Lee Jae Myung concludes the budget policy speech on Monday. All other People Power Party lawmakers left the chamber the moment Lee finished speaking. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
People Power Party Rep. Jo Gyeong-tae remains in his seat at the National Assembly after President Lee Jae Myung concludes the budget policy speech on Monday. All other People Power Party lawmakers left the chamber the moment Lee finished speaking. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)

"The key is execution and speed," Lee said, calling on the National Assembly to cooperate in finalizing next year's budget bill and its accompanying legislation by the statutory deadline of Dec. 2.

President Lee Jae Myung leaves the main chamber of the National Assembly after delivering the budget policy speech on Monday morning. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
President Lee Jae Myung leaves the main chamber of the National Assembly after delivering the budget policy speech on Monday morning. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
President Lee Jae Myung leaves the main chamber of the National Assembly after delivering the budget policy speech on Monday morning. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)
President Lee Jae Myung leaves the main chamber of the National Assembly after delivering the budget policy speech on Monday morning. (Lee Sang-seop/The Korea Herald)

Monday's address marked Lee's fourth budget policy speech to the National Assembly since taking office, and the second this year following one in April.


babtong@heraldcorp.com