President urges review of school uniform prices

Feb 13, 2026, 07:58 am

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President Lee Jae-myung speaks during a senior aides’ meeting at the presidential office on Feb. 12.

President Lee Jae-myung on Thursday called for a review of school uniform prices ahead of the March semester, saying the rising cost has become a heavy burden on parents.

Speaking at a senior aides’ meeting at the presidential office, Lee noted that uniform prices have nearly doubled over the past decade.

“When I was mayor of Seongnam, school uniforms cost around 300,000 won,” he said. “Now they are approaching 600,000 won. Parents describe them as ‘backbreakers,’ which shows how heavy the burden has become.”

Lee instructed officials to examine whether the pricing is appropriate, particularly given the high proportion of imported materials.

“We need to check whether it is reasonable to charge such high prices, and if there are problems, review countermeasures,” he said.

He also suggested exploring alternative production models if uniforms are largely provided free of charge.

“Rather than simply paying companies, could we consider shifting production to a cooperative model, creating domestic jobs and using locally sourced materials?” Lee said. “That could also contribute to the development of domestic industries.”

Ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, Lee also emphasized the need to stabilize consumer prices.

“Yesterday, when I visited a market, people were most concerned about prices and sales,” he said. “Although interest in the stock market has grown, that does not seem to have sufficiently translated into real-life improvements.”

Lee stressed that the special task force on managing living costs should go beyond short-term measures such as discount support and releasing stockpiled supplies, and also monitor potential price-fixing practices involving specific items.

He further warned of possible abuse of the tariff quota system, which temporarily lowers tariffs on certain imported goods to ease price spikes.

“At the Cabinet meeting, I instructed that tariffs on certain items be significantly lowered to allow cheaper imports and supply,” Lee said. “But there appear to be cases where such goods are sold at normal prices, failing to stabilize prices while generating unjust profits at the expense of taxpayers.”

He ordered officials to block any loopholes and hold those responsible strictly accountable if abuses are confirmed.

Lee concluded by underscoring the weight of responsibility borne by presidential aides ahead of the holiday.

“For people like us, there are no vacations, no weekends, no after-hours,” he said. “The fate of the country rests in our hands.”

While acknowledging criticism that work and family life should be separated, Lee said the level of responsibility differs depending on one’s position, adding that senior officials tasked with steering the nation carry a distinct burden.

#Lee Jae-myung #school uniform prices #cost of living #Blue House meeting