Ruling Party's Big Victory... President Yoon: "The People's Will Is to Take Care of the Economy and Livelihood"

- Stability theory gains strength over checks and balances... "We will work together with local governments to overcome challenges"

- Incoming officials likely to be invited to Yongsan from next month... fastest meeting among past gatherings

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporters Baek Kyunghwan and Lee Gimin] The presidential office has largely refrained from reacting to the results of the June 1 nationwide simultaneous local elections, which ended with a landslide victory for the ruling party. However, it emphasized its intention to focus on improving people’s livelihoods now that it has secured momentum for state affairs.

President Yoon Suk-yeol, through a presidential office official on the 2nd, stated, "I thank the citizens for the local elections being successfully concluded with mature civic awareness," and added, "I take this as the people's will to revive the economy and take good care of their livelihoods." This reflects the public’s support for the ‘state stability theory’ and his determination to devote efforts to the livelihood economy.

In particular, President Yoon said, "The lives of ordinary people are very difficult. Reviving economic vitality is the most urgent task," and added, "To this end, I will join hands with local governments and overcome difficulties together." He emphasized, "First is the economy, second is the economy, and third is the economy; I will devote all efforts to stabilizing people’s livelihoods."

The election, held just one month after the launch of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration, was initially assessed as favorable to the ruling party. This was also because various prior opinion polls showed more support for the ‘state stability theory’ than for the ‘regime check theory.’ Following the central power shift through the last presidential election, the reorganization of local power has been achieved, enabling acceleration of Yoon’s regional balanced development policies. In this regard, President Yoon plans to increase regional visits, which had been postponed to avoid election interference controversies.

The presidential office is planning to invite the 17 newly elected heads of metropolitan autonomous entities, whose terms begin on the 1st of next month, to Yongsan Presidential Office for a meeting within this month. For President Yoon, it is essential to build cooperative relationships early since he will spend most of their terms together with these newly elected metropolitan leaders. Compared to former President Moon Jae-in, who held a meeting with city and provincial governors 78 days after the 2018 local elections, and former President Park Geun-hye, who held such a meeting 51 days after the 2014 local elections, this is a very rapid schedule.

Given the current National Assembly situation of a ruling minority and opposition majority, the plan also reflects the intention to communicate with metropolitan leaders, who are government allies, and jointly develop regional balanced development plans through cooperation on state affairs. Earlier, on the 26th of last month, at the first formal Cabinet meeting held at the Government Complex Sejong, President Yoon emphasized, "The key to success is to delegate as much authority as possible so that practical decision-making can be made at the local level," and added, "Allowing local governments to decide their own development strategies is the true era of local autonomy." A presidential office official added, "Now that the local elections are over, President Yoon is expected to increase regional visits to fulfill his regional balanced development pledges."

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