Moon's New Year's Address Emphasizes 'Tangible Experience'... Format Changed to Enhance Message Focus

Focus on Specific Policies
Economy and Peace Mentioned 17 Times, Fairness 14 Times
Determined to Achieve Results in the 4th Year

On the 7th, citizens are watching President Moon Jae-in's New Year's address in the Seoul Station waiting room. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] President Moon Jae-in delivered his New Year's address outlining the direction of state affairs for 2020 on the 7th, adopting a different format and content compared to 2018 and 2019. As he enters the fourth year of his administration, when policy achievements are crucial, this change is interpreted as an effort to create an atmosphere where the public can focus on the messages conveyed in the New Year's address.

First, President Moon changed the format of the New Year's address, which lasted 31 minutes that morning. Emphasizing communication, until last year, the New Year's address was delivered before the New Year's press conference. However, this year, he chose to deliver the address ahead of presiding over the first Cabinet meeting of the year at the Blue House at 10 a.m. Previously, the New Year's address was announced in the form of opening remarks before the press conference, which caused all attention to be focused on the press conference itself. As a result, there were many evaluations that the president's philosophy and messages were not properly conveyed. The press conference following the New Year's address was scheduled for the following week.

Unlike previous addresses that focused on a broad blueprint, this year's speech emphasized specific policies. In his first New Year's address after taking office in 2018, which was 14 pages and 7,500 characters long, President Moon highlighted major government policy directions aimed at income-led growth, innovative growth, and a fair economy. The vision of a "people-centered economy" was also mentioned for the first time in the New Year's address. In his second year in office last year, the core theme was a "country where we live well together." Through a 17-page, 8,393-character address, President Moon put the "innovative inclusive nation" front and center, presenting six detailed goals by sector.

This year's New Year's address, unlike previous ones that presented blueprints and directions, contained a concrete determination to make "definite changes" felt based on the previously emphasized inclusion, innovation, and fairness. It added depth by delivering detailed policies in labor and social sectors such as "simultaneous parental leave for couples," "customized comprehensive measures for retirees and job seekers in their 40s," "settling the 52-hour workweek system," "national employment support system," and "public payment system in the fisheries sector." Along with a 100 trillion won investment project to improve the corporate investment environment, it also emphasized the "three-piece tax incentive set for investment promotion" and "expansion of housing supply" to stabilize the real estate market.

There was also a shift in the role regarding inter-Korean relations. While previously emphasizing the "mediator theory" connecting talks between North Korea and the United States, this time it is interpreted as reflecting the need to seek realistic measures amid the months-long deadlock in North Korea-U.S. dialogue. Accordingly, President Moon took the unprecedented step of publicly proposing to North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un cooperation in "border area collaboration," "joint hosting of the 2032 Olympics by North and South Korea," and participation in the "1st East Asia Weightlifting Championships."

Meanwhile, the word "economy," which was used 35 times in last year's New Year's address, was mentioned 17 times this year. Peace appeared 17 times, fairness 14 times, innovation 12 times, coexistence 8 times, and inclusion 6 times.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.