(Unofficial Translation)

Let me begin the 13th Cabinet Meeting.

There cannot be the slightest gap in state affairs. In particular, there must be no breach in national security, the economy or public safety for even an instant. I urge everyone to do everything possible until the end of my term to ensure that there will not be the slightest bit of negligence during the transition period between administrations.

We are facing a grave situation at home and abroad. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are also escalating amid an international security environment characterized by a newly forming Cold War structure. It is time for our military to maintain the highest level of security readiness. Security must not have even a tiny destabilizing factor. During this transition period, all-out efforts should be made to keep the situation on the Korean Peninsula steady with a heightened state of alert.

The international economic situation is also changing rapidly. Global supply chain issues as well as uncertainties involving energy supply and demand and price hikes around the world should be dealt with preemptively. At the same time, we have to successfully complete the immense challenges we have taken on – competing for technological supremacy and achieving a digital transition and carbon neutrality. I call on the Government to work hard to ensure a seamless transition to the next administration while fulfilling its duty to protect the national economy and people’s livelihoods from external threats and challenges.

Meanwhile, we are now also at a critical juncture; we have to successfully ride out and surmount the Omicron wave as we cross over its peak. Even if we are past the peak of this pandemic, the number of severely or critically ill patients and deaths is expected to increase for a considerable period of time. Accordingly, the Government should fulfill its mission of protecting the lives and safety of the people by doing everything possible to stabilize medical responses with a focus on keeping the number of severely or critically ill patients and deaths under control.

National security, the economy and public safety constitute tasks that should be managed in a steady manner through cooperation between the current and next administrations during the transition period. They also constitute the primary tasks related to the handover of power. I hope that there will be close communication and consultation at various levels while focusing on these areas. Although my term is to end soon, my final mission is to fulfill the duties that the Constitution has vested in the president as head of state, chief of the executive branch and commander-in-chief of the military. I urge all ministries and agencies to faithfully support the transfer of duties while remaining fully committed to state affairs.

At today’s Cabinet Meeting, we will make a decision on the enforcement decree of the Framework Act on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth to Cope with the Climate Crisis. Although we began to take steps later than other developed countries, our pace picked up rapidly after declaring our 2050 carbon neutrality goal. Last year, we successfully hosted the P4G Summit and announced 2030 greenhouse gas reduction targets that are as ambitious and challenging as possible. Korea has become the 14th country in the world to legislate carbon neutrality and has reached its full-scale implementation stage with today’s passage of an enforcement decree. Now that the legal and institutional foundations for the transition to a carbon-neutral society are in place, I look forward to the carbon neutrality implementation system being established in a close-knit manner not only with the Central Government but also at the regional level.

The 2050 carbon neutrality goal is about fulfilling our international duty for the sake of humanity’s survival, and it is also a national task directly linked to Korea’s future competitiveness. This very challenging task cannot be achieved solely through the Government’s commitment. Fortunately, our industries and businesses are actively participating in ESG management and the RE100 movement, and each industry is pooling strengths to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve technological innovation. I ask the Government to do everything it can to keep businesses from taking on excessive burdens.

Our people’s participation in carbon-neutral activities is also gaining momentum. I have high expectations for the carbon neutrality practice movement that is taking place in religious groups, civil society and every part of local communities. Small changes in people’s daily lives will constitute a great action that saves humanity.