Introduction of Three Vice Prime Ministers for Security, Strategy, and Social Affairs – On the 12th, reform party presidential candidate Lee Jun-seok announced his first presidential campaign pledge, stating, “I will reorganize and reduce the current 19 government ministries into 13.”
Lee explained in his top 10 pledges briefing, “To create a government that operates efficiently by removing duplication and administrative barriers between departments, we will emphasize practical outcomes and expertise rather than just department names.” The key is to establish a small, task-oriented government and instill a culture that prioritizes actual work performance and specialization.
Specifically, Lee intends to introduce the concept of three vice prime ministers responsible for security, strategy, and social affairs. The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science and ICT will be merged into the Ministry of Education and Science, while the Ministry of Unification would be dissolved, with its responsibilities integrated into a newly named Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Unification. The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family will also be abolished, with related tasks transferred to the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Interior and Safety.
An industrial pledge was also presented, focusing on revitalizing regional economies by encouraging companies that moved overseas to return to major domestic industrial complexes through reshoring incentives. The plan includes expanding the rights for local governments to decide and manage corporate local income taxes autonomously to attract companies. In the labor sector, local governments would be allowed to adjust minimum wages within a 30% range of the central government’s set minimum wage.
As part of the social welfare pledge, Lee proposed pension reform by separating new and old pension finances and introducing a defined contribution structure to ensure that individuals receive as much as they contribute.
In education policy, Lee unveiled plans for a state responsibility system for lawsuits involving teachers, where education offices would directly represent teachers in civil and criminal lawsuits related to their duties and provide dedicated lawyers. Additionally, staff would be assigned to support student life management to immediately address classroom disruptions and problematic behavior.
For young people, financial support measures include offering loans to individuals aged 19 to 34 that can be used without restrictions, with a fixed interest rate of 1.7% for up to 5 million won per quarter and a total limit of 50 million won. In defense, a proposal involves conducting a four-week integrated basic military training for all conscripts and selecting outstanding individuals as officer and non-commissioned officer candidates based on training performance and evaluations.
To boost industrial vitality, Lee pledged to introduce the “Regulation Standard Country System,” which applies the regulatory levels of advanced countries to remove unnecessary regulations and enhance competitiveness. A new Regulatory Tribunal under the Prime Minister’s office would be established to streamline regulatory responses.
For nurturing scientists and technology professionals, Lee suggested a pension system for outstanding researchers. Those meeting certain criteria would receive diplomatic-level fast track entry and exit benefits as a mark of acknowledgment.