Lee Jae-myung, the Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate, suggested on the 18th that the government should increase investments in advanced technology industries and foster renewable energy and cultural industries as a measure to strengthen national competitiveness.
Kim Moon-soo from the People Power Party and Lee Jun-seok from the Reform Party emphasized the need for 'regulatory reform,' while Kwon Young-guk of the Democratic Labor Party stated that inequality and discrimination must be eliminated.
Lee Jae-myung noted during the first TV debate of the presidential candidates that 'long-term growth momentum must be restored' and stated that 'investments in advanced technology industries should be increased.' He continued, 'As the whole world transitions to a renewable energy society due to the climate crisis, we are practically devoid of renewable energy measures' and emphasized that 'the renewable energy industry must be rapidly and massively expanded.'
He also remarked that 'the cultural capacity we possess is our unique strength, and if we massively foster the cultural industry, it will create a pathway to enhance national competitiveness.'
Kim Moon-soo stated, 'I will dramatically enhance national competitiveness through an “economic overhaul”' and prioritized 'regulatory reform.'
He said, 'I will create a regulatory innovation agency to eliminate continuous management and supervision of regulations' and added, 'I will alleviate the gap between large corporations and small and medium enterprises through labor reform.' He also commented, 'In the AI era, we will expand power and infrastructure, restore the nuclear industry ecosystem to significantly lower electricity costs and improve quality,' stating that 'infrastructure for research and development in science and technology to foster new industries will also be drastically strengthened.'
Lee Jun-seok emphasized, 'For South Korea to grow again, the answer is clear; we must aggressively break the regulations.'
He stated, 'Even at this moment, many entrepreneurs are turning their backs on South Korea and heading to Silicon Valley or Singapore. Just as Israeli corporations align with U.S. standards to expand globally, we must eliminate the regulatory gap with other countries.'
He further targeted Lee Jae-myung, saying, 'Lee Jae-myung claims he will invest 100 trillion won in AI while also proposing to introduce a rural basic income that amounts to 5 trillion to 15 trillion won each year,' adding, 'He seems unable to distinguish what constitutes an investment for the future or what should be prioritized.'
Lee Jun-seok continued, 'Leaders must make cold choices about where to allocate limited resources. Promising everything is no different from saying you can’t do it all.' He pointed out, 'This election is not about choosing a herder. I cannot entrust five years to a candidate who changes their words once elected.'
Additionally, Kwon Young-guk stated, 'The perspective of national competitiveness must change; the quality of life for citizens should reflect national competitiveness. A nation strong in labor is a genuine advanced country. I will strive to create a country free from inequality and discrimination.'