Half of the People Choose 'Economic Revitalization' as the Top Priority for the Next Government

FKI Survey... High Demand for Political Reform (30.1%)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hye-young] About half of the nation's population hopes that economic revitalization will be the top priority task of the next government, according to a survey.

The Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) commissioned Mono Research to conduct a survey from the 6th to 7th of this month targeting 1,021 people nationwide aged 18 and older on the topic of 'Economic Policy Tasks for the Next Government.' On the 14th, it announced that 46.7% of respondents identified 'economic revitalization' as the key focus task for the next government.

Political reform (30.1%) followed, with social integration (9.7%), diplomacy and inter-Korean relations stabilization (8.0%), and cultural prosperity (1.2%) ranking subsequently.

Regarding projects for economic revitalization, the most selected was job creation at 28.9%, followed by deregulation of businesses (21.0%), expansion of future growth engines (18.9%), promotion of consumption through domestic demand stimulation (10.7%), labor market reform (9.2%), and advancement of the financial market (7.8%).

For key projects to promote job creation, the most chosen was new employment creation through corporate growth (29.7%). Other opinions included job creation through fostering new industries (20.2%), job expansion via government fiscal spending (15.2%), fostering service industries with high employment creation effects (13.0%), and various forms of employment security (12.0%).

Regarding new industries that the government should support to secure future growth engines 20 years from now, next-generation semiconductors and displays (21.2%), artificial intelligence (AI, 19.1%), future automobiles such as electric and autonomous vehicles (17.5%), bio and health industries (13.0%), and hydrogen industries (9.3%) were selected.

For consumption promotion measures by the next government, respondents chose domestic tourism revitalization (22.0%), expansion of income tax deductions for card usage (21.6%), and expansion of voucher payments for low-income groups' purchases (16.1%).

Regarding projects for labor market reform, the most selected was strict response to legal violations at 26.5%.

Next were legislative and institutional improvements to maintain balance of power between labor and management (18.6%), enhancement of labor market flexibility (17.2%), inducement of autonomous compromise between labor and management (10.8%), and strengthening of social consultation body functions (10.7%).

Concerning financial market advancement measures, opinions included interest rate stabilization (29.5%), efficient management of household debt (22.0%), advancement of the stock market (16.2%), and deregulation of finance (15.1%).

To alleviate economic anxiety caused by COVID-19, the projects that the next government should promote were price stabilization (39.5%) and stabilization of real estate supply and demand (31.8%). Responses also indicated the need for measures to address unemployment issues (14.8%), stabilization of labor-management relations (5.0%), and resolution of supply instability of essential daily goods such as urea solution (4.6%).

Yoo Hwan-ik, head of the Industry Division at FKI, said, "We confirmed public opinion hoping that the next government will focus on economic revitalization such as job creation, deregulation of businesses, and expansion of future growth engines," adding, "We expect that economic anxiety will be alleviated and economic revitalization measures will be prepared during the presidential election process."

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