President Lee highlights debt relief, science investment in Daejeon town hall meeting

President Lee Jae Myung is stepping up efforts to engage with the public, holding a town hall in South Korea's central region after last week's stop in Gwangju.

Our Presidential Office correspondent Song Yoo-jin reports.

The second stop of President Lee Jae Myung's town hall series was the central city of Daejeon on Friday, often called the nation's "science capital."

Going well past the scheduled hour, President Lee listened to residents share their concerns about debt relief and science and technology policy.

Small business owners and the self-employed talked about ways to recover after years of hardship brought on by the pandemic and a sluggish economy.

"One of the most important parts of helping people get back on their feet is supporting small business owners and the self-employed. We need a strong foundation so they don't get trapped in a cycle of heavy debt. We should set up a one-stop system that covers everything from debt restructuring to business restart support."

President Lee took the time to outline his administration's plan to cancel long-overdue debts for low-income earners and small businesses, which has been raising eyebrows over fairness.

"When someone falls into debt, they end up being blacklisted. And if you look at it from a broader perspective, it basically stops them from taking part in the economy altogether. That's a loss for the country, too. So is it really right to leave it as it is?"

The discussion then turned to revitalizing science and technology, areas the government sees as critical to national competitiveness.

"For researchers, it takes a long time to even start a career. Most jobs are temporary contracts, and honestly, the salaries are much lower than people think."

Taking note of each speaker's comments, President Lee stressed the need to foster meaningful research.

"Let's focus on research that actually matters. Let's stop the research that's done just to fill out government reports. We shouldn't be making researchers waste so much energy on paperwork, and we shouldn't be obsessed with whether everything has a high success rate."

After listening to stakeholders, President Lee directed officials to develop policies centered on the needs of people on the ground.

Wrapping up, he pledged to speed up the relocation of the presidential office to nearby Sejong City as part of his vision for balanced regional growth.

Song Yoo-jin, Arirang News.