President Lee Calls for Immediate Lifting of Public Vehicle Restrictions

President Lee Jae-myung directed on June 30 that the public sector's vehicle restrictions be lifted all at once rather than gradually.

During a Cabinet meeting and emergency economic assessment at the Blue House, President Lee received a report from Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Vice Minister Moon Shin-hak, who noted that concerns over oil supply shortages have decreased following the initiation of ceasefire negotiations in the Middle East. In response, the president ordered the immediate lifting of the vehicle restrictions.

"Haven't our public officials sacrificed enough?" President Lee asked. He questioned the significant difference between maintaining the current restrictions and lifting them entirely.

He continued, stating, "The two-part vehicle restriction was a proactive measure taken by public officials during a crisis. Is there really a need to demonstrate restraint when lifting it? Can't we just remove the restrictions altogether?"

With a smile, he remarked, "It's commendable to say we will sacrifice first while imposing restrictions on the public, but if we have already lifted restrictions for the public, is it necessary for us to continue sacrificing?"

President Lee emphasized, "There is no practical benefit to these restrictions. Regulations should be limited to essential cases only. If there are no issues with lifting them, let's just remove all restrictions."

He also addressed recent consumer trends, stating, "Another foundation for creating sustainable growth is enhancing actual consumer capacity or vitality. Although private consumption showed signs of recovery in the first quarter, we need additional measures to accelerate this trend."

Notably, he pointed out that there are tens of trillions of won in unused or unclaimed points from credit card payments, shopping, and membership sign-ups. He suggested that converting these various points into local currency could be beneficial.

He urged relevant departments to actively explore ways to utilize these dormant points.

Regarding the recent ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran, President Lee noted, "Even if a ceasefire is achieved, it will take considerable time for the global economy to fully normalize. We now need not only short-term responses but also more efficient and focused crisis management in the medium to long term."