President Lee Jae-myung criticized claims that Jeonbuk has been neglected in the "three mega projects," stating, "Ordinary citizens might wonder, 'Why are they investing so much elsewhere while we only get this much?' It is truly problematic when responsible individuals make such strange comments." He also labeled these remarks as "irresponsible."
During a meeting at the Blue House with officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, President Lee referenced Hyundai Motor Group's 9 trillion won investment in Saemangeum.
He noted, "Hyundai's investment is indeed substantial. However, when we hear about 800 trillion won investments elsewhere, it creates a perception of disparity regarding the Saemangeum investment, leading to questions like, 'What is this?'"
President Lee added, "The 9 trillion won is just the initial investment estimate, and if the project expands successfully, it could lead to massive investments multiplying by several times."
He explained that the Honam semiconductor cluster is a decision made by companies like Samsung and SK based on economic logic, not merely a matter of establishing public enterprises. "It is not something that can be addressed by simply adding more to appease those who feel slighted," he said.
He further emphasized, "Making unrealistic promises that only serve to upset people does not lead to solutions. This is what we call irresponsibility. The primary virtue of a public official is to take responsibility."
President Lee stressed, "It is the worst behavior to make statements that one cannot stand behind, just to please someone, and then create a worse situation later."
Additionally, he criticized the lack of understanding among agency heads regarding their most critical tasks, stating, "It is absolutely unacceptable to be unaware of even the basic outlines of their responsibilities, especially after previous reports highlighted these issues and caused embarrassment."
He remarked, "I saw that some agency heads still do not know what their jobs entail, despite having been pointed out in previous meetings. This is simply unacceptable."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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