2025 Lee Jae-myung Candidate Presidential Election Promise Book In-depth Analysis - Environment and Regional Development

Introduction to Candidate Lee Jae-myung's Campaign Promises

The candidate Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party of Korea has unveiled a pledge book titled "Now, the Real Republic of Korea," emphasizing the three key words: 'Recovery, Growth, Happiness,' in anticipation of the 21st presidential election scheduled for June 3, 2025. This pledge book includes 15 major policy tasks aimed at restoring democracy, achieving economic advancement, and enhancing the happiness of citizens, along with 247 detailed pledges. Candidate Lee presents a vision of five powerful nations: a strong economic nation, a strong diplomatic and security nation, a strong cultural nation, a strong democratic nation, and a strong welfare nation.

Environmental and Regional Development Commitments

Candidate Lee Jae-myung has defined responding to the climate crisis as a responsibility towards future generations and has stated his intention to accelerate the transition to a carbon-neutral society. He has also set a goal of making regional balanced development a national survival strategy, intending to alleviate the concentration of power in the capital region and promote equitable development throughout the country. These commitments to environmental sustainability and regional development emphasize sustainability and balanced growth, clearly demonstrating the vision of creating a safe and prosperous South Korea for future generations.

Main Environmental Commitments and Measures

The core of environmental policy is the promotion of carbon neutrality centered around the newly established Ministry of Climate and Energy. Candidate Lee Jae-myung has pledged to accelerate the energy transition centered on renewable energy by expanding the installation of solar and wind power, and committing to the complete phase-out of coal power generation by 2040. To achieve this, he stated that unreasonable regulations hindering the establishment of renewable energy infrastructure will be improved, and that decentralized energy will be effectively utilized through the construction of a large-scale smart grid. Additionally, there are plans to support the domestication and export of green industries such as electric vehicles, batteries, and hydrogen, aiming to make environmentally friendly industries a new growth engine.

Regional Balanced Development Commitment and Vision

Candidate Lee Jae-myung is planning to complete Sejong as the administrative capital. He stated that he aims to finish the construction of the Sejong National Assembly and the Sejong Presidential Office during his term, and to promote the second phase of the relocation of public institutions to distribute the remaining public institutions in the metropolitan area across the nation. Additionally, he proposed a strategy called '5 poles and 3 special autonomous regions' to reorganize South Korea into five mega-regions and three special autonomous municipalities, which includes plans to create special local governments for each region to consolidate economic living areas.

Resources and feasibility

Expanding renewable energy and industrial transition requires large-scale investments based on public-private cooperation. While the phase-out of coal power and the opening of the four major rivers can be advanced through policy decisions alone, social dialogue and compensation measures are necessary to alleviate stakeholder resistance. The establishment of a Ministry of Climate and Energy is a matter of amending the government organization law, which requires the cooperation of the National Assembly, but it seems feasible to pursue this based on the urgency of the climate crisis. Additionally, the construction of the National Assembly's Sejong Legislative Office has already been reflected in the budget, indicating a high likelihood of realization, and the establishment of a presidential office in Sejong is administratively feasible, providing further grounds for ease of execution.

Differences from Other Candidates

Candidate Lee Jae-myung emphasizes the expansion of renewable energy and the cultivation of carbon-neutral industries in his environmental policy, while candidates from the People Power Party tend to focus on the expansion of nuclear power generation. Candidate Kim Moon-soo promises to export nuclear technology, such as small modular reactors, and has criticized the solar power-centric transition policy. Lee's pledge to open the four major rivers is aimed at ecological restoration, but the conservative camp holds a position of retention due to flood control effects and project efficiency. These distinctions are particularly evident in the sense of responsibility toward regions and the environment, as Lee prioritizes national investment and responsibility over centralization and market autonomy.