Lee: Reduced suicides are our government's biggest achievement; improving livelihoods is key

President Lee Jae-myung has highlighted the substantial decrease in suicides as the most significant achievement of his government, expressing deep gratitude to all individuals involved in this critical effort.

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What could be more precious than human life?

"What could be more precious than human life?" Lee remarked on his X account, sharing statistics that show a notable decline in suicide deaths during the first half of the year compared to the previous year. He extended his thanks and commendation to the Prime Minister, public officials, and all related workers, urging them to continue their dedicated service.

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I deeply thank and commend the efforts of the Prime Minister and related public officials, and ask for their continued dedication.

Looking ahead, President Lee acknowledged that the work is far from over, stating, "There is still a long way to go." He set a goal to halve the current number of suicides. While acknowledging the importance of practical measures like personnel, organizational support, and budget allocation, Lee identified the creation of a hopeful society as the most fundamental solution. He pinpointed the improvement of people's livelihoods and the economy as the core elements in building such hope.

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There is still a long way to go. We must reduce the number of suicides by half.

Lee further elaborated that focusing on the economy and people's livelihoods, and reversing the declining economic growth rate into an upward trend, was the administration's most urgent priority. This focus, he believes, is intrinsically linked to fostering a society where citizens feel hopeful and secure.

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While practical measures such as personnel, organization, and budget are important, the most fundamental solution is to create a hopeful society, and the core of creating hope lies in improving people's livelihoods – that is, the economy.