President Lee orders prioritizing people's safety as Korea prepares for summer rainy season

President Lee Jae-myung visited a local flood control center today ahead of the upcoming rainy season, putting emphasis on safety.

At the same time, the new leader, who's just in his second week in office, has been bolstering communication with parliament and the press throughout the week.

Our senior top office correspondent Yoon Jung-min reports.

Appearing in a yellow civil defense uniform, South Korea's new president was at a flood control center of the Hangang River in Seoul on Thursday to check readiness as the nation braces for the summer rainy season.

"Protecting our people's lives and safety and preventing disasters and damage, that's most important. Being better off, that's also important, but what's more important is protecting people's lives and their safety."

Present at the meeting were related officials, where Lee called for an overhaul of flood-prone areas as well as the flood warning system.

He went on to emphasize the responsibility of the officials in charge of public safety as he vowed to better empower them and improve compensation.

Also in line with this, President Lee Jae-myung suddenly stopped by the alleyway in Seoul's Itaewon neighborhood, where the disastrous crowd crush claimed the lives of more than 150 people around three years ago.

He laid flowers and observed a moment of silence at Memorial Alley.

"Do you know who set up these boards?"

On his way back to the office, he spoke with nearby merchants, asking them how their businesses were doing.

Other than focusing on people's livelihoods during his second week in office, the new president has made a move to bolster communication with parliament.

Lee's secretary for political affairs, Woo Sang-ho, paid a visit to the National Assembly for the third straight day on Thursday to meet the leadership of political parties, underscoring the need for cooperation across the aisle.

It's taken as the president demonstrating his recognition of them as "partners" in charge of state affairs.

Also conspicuous to the press corps covering the president was Lee unexpectedly stopping by at a cafeteria at the top office to have lunch and coffee with reporters in a casual setting, ---for three days in a row this week.

It's widely seen as a move to bolster communication with the press at the early stage of his presidency.