From practical leadership to national vision: Charting the next phase of the Lee Jae Myung presidency

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From practical leadership to national vision: Charting the next phase of the Lee Jae Myung presidency

Published: 29 Jul. 2025, 00:01

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Kang Won-taek

The author is a professor of political science and international relations at Seoul National University.

Nearly two months into his presidency, Lee Jae Myung’s leadership style is becoming more visible. On the day of his inauguration, he shared lunch with opposition party leaders at the National Assembly and soon after invited ruling and opposition lawmakers to the presidential residence. He took direct charge of responding to torrential rain and publicly reprimanded local officials for inadequate disaster preparedness. He visited a factory where a worker had died in an industrial accident and instructed officials to respond firmly to reports of abuse against migrant workers. Lee also met directly with corporate leaders when necessary.

The presidential office released a photo on July 25 showing President Lee Jae Myung arriving at the presidential compound in Yongsan, central Seoul, the previous day. [PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE]

These actions suggest a hands-on, communicative and pragmatic approach to leadership. Early in his term, this problem-solving orientation has drawn favorable comparisons to the ideological rigidity and unilateralism that marked past administrations.

Yet, despite these positive signs, the broader vision of Lee’s presidency — the overarching blueprint that defines his era — has yet to fully emerge. This is especially notable because Korea appears to be at a significant historical turning point. Such moments often bring uncertainty, but they also present opportunities for bold advancement. If the Lee administration can articulate a compelling national vision that responds to this moment, it could provide direction and energy for a society struggling to move beyond current limitations.

Much has changed in the global environment. The United States, for instance, no longer seems like the country Koreans once knew. While some changes can be attributed to the distinctive leadership of U.S. President Donald Trump, it is likely that deeper, structural forces are reshaping U.S. politics and policy. At the same time, industrial and technological shifts are redefining the global order. Artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming not only industries but everyday life, warfare and the labor market — even among highly skilled professions.

President Lee Jae Myung, right, speaks with SPC Group Chairman Hur Young-in, left, during a labor-management meeting on preventing industrial accidents, held at the SPC Samlip plant in Siheung, Gyeonggi, on July 25. [JOINT PRESS CORPS]

China, despite mounting trade restrictions and containment efforts from the United States, has secured independent capabilities in advanced industries and is beginning to surpass Korea in key areas. In this rapidly shifting environment, Korea must move beyond piecemeal solutions and think in terms of broader systemic transformation.

Korea’s current position owes much to leaders who responded decisively at previous inflection points. In the late 1980s, as socialism collapsed and the Cold War ended, President Roh Tae-woo launched a “northern diplomacy” initiative that expanded Korea’s diplomatic reach and laid the groundwork for global economic engagement. President Kim Young-sam’s globalization agenda and President Kim Dae-jung’s push for an information-based society also reflected proactive responses to global change.

In this context, President Lee’s campaign pledge to position Korea among the top three AI powers deserves attention. Given that the United States and China are clear front-runners, this amounts to an ambitious goal of being the best in the world outside those two giants. It is a forward-looking national objective that responds to the growing importance of AI, but success will require shifts beyond science and technology alone.

China’s progress, for example, has been driven by a generation of young, innovative leaders open to new technologies. Liang Wenfeng, who developed the low-cost generative AI model DeepSeek, is 40. Luo Fuli, who supported the development, is in his 30s. Wang Xingxing, the founder of Unitree Robotics, known for its robot dogs, is 35. These relatively young innovators are helping lead China’s advanced tech industries.

By contrast, Korea’s talent pool is disproportionately focused on medicine, raising questions about whether enough young people will pursue paths that drive cutting-edge innovation. Changes in education, incentives and employment structures are needed to reverse this trend.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang attends the ″Winning the AI Race″ Summit in Washington on July 23. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Moreover, most of China’s emerging tech leaders were educated domestically, not abroad. In Korea, however, universities remain constrained by Ministry of Education regulations, limiting their capacity to foster creativity and experimentation. Rather than focusing solely on expanding the number of elite universities, the country must reform its higher education system to elevate academic capacity to a global level. Strengthening partnerships between universities, government and industry is also essential.

While AI is just one example, national vision in times of transition must be based on broad and forward-looking frameworks that anticipate future developments and consider the full landscape — not just isolated elements. President Lee assumed office without a formal transition committee. It may still be early to expect a detailed governing philosophy, but many will look to his 100th-day press conference for a clearer articulation of his long-term policy vision.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.