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President Lee Jae-myung speaks during an emergency economic task force meeting at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul, on July 30. / Source: Yonhap News

President Lee Jae-myung stressed on August 1 that balanced regional development is not an act of generosity but a "national survival strategy" during a meeting with governors and mayors at the presidential office in Yongsan, Seoul.

"The new administration believes that for Korea's sustainable growth, balanced development is not merely a favor for local regions but a survival strategy for the nation," Lee said.

Citing the recent consumer coupon program as an example, Lee explained, "As we demonstrated, we aimed to provide greater incentives to non-capital regions rather than treating all areas equally. This approach reflects our belief that only through greater support for local areas can we achieve even a modest balance. We plan to further strengthen this principle in policy decisions and budget allocations going forward."

Lee acknowledged Korea's past focus on uneven growth, which concentrated resources in certain regions and fueled a "Seoul-centric" structure. "This once served as an effective growth strategy," he noted, "but now it has become an obstacle to further development."

The president also emphasized the importance of local governments, stating, "Local autonomy has greatly contributed to our democratic development and will remain a solid foundation for Korean democracy. We will do our utmost at the central level to ensure that local administrations can reflect the will of their residents."

Highlighting public safety, Lee urged, "Protecting the lives and safety of our citizens is the state's foremost duty, and in practice, this responsibility often falls heavily on local governments. I ask for greater efforts to safeguard our citizens with the belief that a single life carries the weight of the universe."

The meeting was attended by 17 provincial and metropolitan leaders, including Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Dong-yeon, and Incheon Mayor Yoo Jeong-bok. Prime Minister Kim Min-seok, Local Era Committee Chair Kim Kyung-soo, and Interior Minister Yoon Ho-jung were also present on behalf of the central government.