[fn Editorial] Lee Jae-myung’s Declaration of Six Major Reforms: An Extraordinary Determination to See It Through

On the 13th, President Lee Jae-myung stated, "The most pressing challenge facing the Republic of Korea today is to reverse the decline in potential growth rate," adding, "Above all, bold structural reforms are necessary to achieve this." He made these remarks while presiding over a Senior Presidential Aides Meeting at the Office of the President. This is the first time President Lee has so explicitly emphasized the need for structural reform.
By definition, structural reform refers to a sweeping transformation that fundamentally improves existing systems to enhance efficiency—in short, reform. No administration in history has failed to advocate for reform. The previous Yoon Suk Yeol administration also pursued four major reforms—pension, education, healthcare, and labor—but was unable to complete them. Unexpected political situations, such as the declaration of martial law, played a role, but fierce resistance, especially in areas like healthcare reform, was a significant obstacle.
President Lee has set forth six major reforms: regulation, finance, public sector, pension, education, and labor. While pension, education, and labor overlap with the Yoon administration’s agenda, regulation, finance, and the public sector are new additions. He remarked, "Just as good nutrition cannot improve health if arteries are clogged, no policy can be effective if society’s underlying problems are left unaddressed." This is an entirely valid point.
In every sector of the nation, problems and chronic issues accumulate over time. Reform is about resolving these issues and eliminating harmful elements, but, as mentioned, resistance is the main challenge. In fields where interests are sharply divided, such as healthcare reform, the opposition is even more intense. Even reforms intended for the benefit of the nation and its people often lose momentum when confronted by collective self-interest.
This challenge is not limited to healthcare reform. Pension, regulation, education, and labor reforms are all equally difficult. Ongoing efforts to reform the National Pension Service (NPS) are complicated by conflicting interests between the younger and older generations, making it hard to reach a conclusion. Reforming the Public Officials Pension and Military Pension—often criticized as 'money-eating monsters'—is just as challenging.
Many previous administrations began with strong resolve, only to abandon their efforts midway due to even stronger resistance, or settled for half-measures. In some cases, reforms never truly began and were reduced to mere rhetoric. Structural reform is such a grueling process that the government must steel itself with extraordinary determination to overcome opposition and ensure success for the nation’s future.
President Lee pointed out that the potential growth rate drops by 1% with every change of administration, and promised that the government would prepare thoroughly and act swiftly so that next year marks the true beginning of a national transformation through structural reform. This is exactly what must be done.
The various regulations that hinder corporate management should be addressed first to restore and grow the economy. As a labor-friendly administration, how the government will pursue labor reform remains to be seen. It is hoped that reform will not end as empty words. The issue of education is also pressing. It has already been 30 years since the Kim Young-sam administration attempted education reform and produced results. Problems such as the deterioration of public education and the widening gap between Seoul and the provinces have only grown more severe.
Structural reform requires a master plan and persistent, long-term efforts to succeed. The ultimate goal of comprehensive structural reform is to create a healthy and prosperous nation. In this context, political reform—which no one seems to mention today—should not be neglected. There are numerous changes needed in the political sphere, including reducing the privileges of Members of the National Assembly and improving the electoral system.