President Wen “Free vaccine against coronavirus for all citizens from next month” [신년사 전문]

President Moon Jae-in’s New Year’s Address

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Fellow Koreans, we have welcomed the new year.

While wishing for hope, my heart is heavy.

It comes to mind that the New Year is not like the New Year.

The long war against Corona is not over.

Life and safety are still threatened, and unprecedented difficulties in the public economy continue.

The pain of daily loss continues.

I would like to express my deepest consolation to the people who are crossing the difficult times.

But the New Year will definitely be another year.

Together, we will overcome Corona.

2021 will be a’year of recovery’,’year of inclusion’, and’year of leap forward’ for our people.

Fellow citizens, In 2020, a new infectious disease threatened the lives of mankind, and daily life has changed completely.

We were no exception.

The world economy has also suffered its worst downturn since the Great Depression.

Our economy also suffered negative growth.

Everyone was hard and hard.

The people had to bear the inconvenience throughout the year.

But we weren’t broken.

In the midst of the crisis, Korea rather shone.

Medical staff devotedly cared for patients, and the people themselves became the subject of quarantine.

Our people have shown the world the most common truth that the safety of our neighbors is my safety, with amazing practices.

Creative quarantine measures that the people voluntarily envisioned were quickly applied to the field.

Korea’s diagnostic kits,’drive-through’ inspection methods, and quarantine supplies such as masks have been distributed around the world, contributing greatly to protecting humanity from coronavirus.

‘K-Defense Prevention’ is built on the dedication and sacrifice of each and every citizen.

The world’s first nationwide elections and entrance examinations, suppressing the spread as much as possible without blockades, and becoming one of the best quarantine prevention nations among OECD countries is a valuable achievement made by our people that no one can cut down.

The spirit of mutual prosperity of our people has also been the greatest force in overcoming the economic crisis.

Starting with the’Good Rent Movement’, the’Good Prepayment Movement’ and the’Agricultural Product Package Movement’ followed, and we found a way to live with neighbors in need.

Workers took the lead in overcoming the economic crisis, and companies kept employment as much as possible.

The Korean economy is expected to enter the top 10 in the world in terms of GDP with the highest growth rate among OECD countries last year, and per capita national income is also expected to surpass the G7 countries for the first time ever.

The stock index also broke through the 2,000 line and opened the 3,000 era in 14 years, recording the highest share price increase rate among the G20 countries, showing that the future outlook for the Korean economy is bright despite the crisis.

Korea never stopped.

All the people did their best amidst difficulties, demonstrating the potential of Korea to be resistant to crises.

Finally, you can see the end of the dark tunnel.

A lot of uncertainty has been lifted and you can now predict, forecast and plan.

This year, we will fully recover our daily lives and leap forward as a leading country in a new era with a quick and strong economic recovery.

However, even if the national economy improves, it will take more time to restore employment and recover from the damage suffered by small business owners and self-employed people.

It is of paramount importance to achieve an inclusive recovery that closes the gap deepened by the corona.

Fellow citizens, it is an urgent need to quickly return to the normal routine of being freed from the mask.

The priority is to overcome the last pitfall of quarantine, which is gradually improving.

The government will do its best to end the third epidemic early with the people.

You can start getting the vaccine next month.

In order of priority, we will ensure that all citizens receive free vaccinations.

The review of the treatment developed by our company is also underway.

We will transparently disclose the entire process, from safety inspection and permission, to use and effectiveness.

We will continue to encourage the development of our own vaccines.

We will secure vaccination sovereignty so that we can contribute to strengthening the safety of our people and international health cooperation.

The economy will also achieve a quick and strong recovery.

Already, our economy has turned to positive growth in the third quarter of last year.

Exports in December of last year exceeded $50 billion in two years and reached a record high in December.

Following this momentum, our economy will recover to pre-corona levels in the first half of this year.

In the public welfare economy, from today, 2.8 million small businesses, self-employed and specially employed, freelancers, caring workers, and 870,000 vulnerable to employment, are provided with the third disaster support fund from today to support the industries and classes affected by the third coronavirus outbreak.

I don’t think it’s enough, but I hope it will serve as a welcome for the recovery of the people’s livelihood.

The government will not stop at this, but will continue to mobilize its policy capabilities to restore the public economy.

During the first half of the year, we will expedite the expansive budget to restore our economy to the pre-coronavirus level, and push forward with a 110 trillion won public and private investment project.

The core of the public economy is jobs.

In the first quarter, we will focus on the job budget of KRW 30 trillion, which is 5 trillion KRW higher than last year.

In particular, we plan to create 1,040,000 jobs for the vulnerable, including youth, the elderly, and the disabled.

Together, the employment safety net and social safety net will be further strengthened to overcome the crisis.

The National Employment Support System will be implemented starting this month, allowing young people and low-income job seekers to receive support for living expenses along with employment support services.

Following the artists of last year, the application of employment insurance is expected to expand from July to specially employed workers.

Seniors, single-parent families, and low-income households, who have not received livelihood benefits due to the existence of a support obligation, can receive livelihood benefits from this month. From next year, all households will be abolished.

In the future, we will continue our efforts to expand the employment safety net and social safety net such as the National Employment Insurance System and the Injury and Disease Allowance.

In crisis, we must hold each other’s hands and go together.

When we get out of the crisis together, it is easier to get back to our daily lives.

Last year, active job creation and efforts to support low-income families have been able to mitigate the job shock compared to other countries.

The government’s support for low-income families has been greatly increased, and the effect of improving distribution through finance has also greatly increased.

But it is still not enough.

We will make more efforts to restore public welfare and expand safety net.

We will repay you with’overcoming the crisis that narrows the gap’ so that the efforts of the people who have put up with the inconvenience and put their neighbors first are not wasted.

I am very sorry for the people who are discouraged by the difficulties of housing.

We will not hesitate to come up with necessary measures for housing stability.

With special emphasis on supply expansion, we will quickly come up with a variety of housing supply plans that can be quickly effective.

Fellow citizens, the global economy is changing rapidly due to the coronavirus.

The non-face-to-face economy and digital innovation are accelerating, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution is advancing.

Competition among countries to preoccupy the changing global market after the coronavirus will also become more intense.

The future is up to those who prepare.

The Korean economy has also made a’great transition to a leading economy’.

Our flagship industries such as automobiles and shipbuilding are regaining competitiveness.

Automobile production reached the top five in the world last year, and shipbuilding orders regained the world’s No. 1 position.

The three new industries, which the government has focused on, such as system semiconductors, future cars, and biohealth, all show double-digit export growth and are rapidly establishing themselves as new flagship industries.

Investment in the future is also steadily increasing.

The era of 100 trillion won in R&D investment has begun.

It is the fifth scale in the world.

Amid the coronavirus, the second venture boom spread further, and last year’s venture fund formation reached a record-high 5 trillion won, and the increase in venture companies, employment growth, and exports all recorded record highs.

The pace of innovation in our economy will be accelerated through the power of win-win.

With the cooperation of large and small companies, we have overcome the wave of export regulations in Japan, and the win-win local jobs that started in Gwangju are spreading across the country, fostering new growth engines such as electric vehicles and advanced materials.

The core of the Korean New Deal, which is being promoted in earnest from this year, is also’people’ and’win-win’.

When the Korean version of the New Deal is promoted in earnest, changes will take place throughout the country.

We will foster new talents and create new growth engines and quality jobs.

The Digital New Deal and Green New Deal will change the quality of life for the people.

Above all, it is of utmost importance for the people to experience the Korean version of the New Deal and to accompany them on the way to a leading country.

We will focus on the Korean version of the New Deal on the regionally balanced New Deal.

Local governments and residents, local companies and human resources will be able to make a realistic and creative development strategy with the region being the main body.

We will further strengthen our efforts for regional economic innovation.

We will increase the speed of innovation by newly designating a free regulatory zone along with financial support using the special grant tax for national regional cooperation.

In addition, we will swiftly promote large-scale and ultra-wide projects for balanced national development, and increase the living SOC investment to further enhance the quality of life for local residents.

If the Korean version of the New Deal permeates our lives through the Regional Balanced New Deal and creates synergy with the existing balanced national development plan, we will be able to step closer to the innovative and inclusive country we dreamed of.

The government will strive to create a New Deal Fund and establish an institutional foundation so that the private sector can actively participate.

We will promptly promote key legislation in the 10 areas of the New Deal, such as digital economy transformation, climate crisis response, and regional balanced development, and strengthen communication and cooperation with companies.

We hope that the people will also actively participate.

When we believe that society is fair, we can choose the way we live together, and the courage to stand up if we fail can strengthen the power of innovation.

We believe in the power of fairness and are setting it right.

Reform of power institutions is a matter of check and balance.

It is to ensure that the legal order is applied equally and fairly to all.

We finally made a legal reform last year that was a long homework.

The 3 Fair Economy Act and 3 Labor-related Acts will achieve economic democracy and increase the sustainability of growth.

It is true that there are many difficulties and conflicting factors before getting established in the field, as all of them are changing institutions and practices that have been formed over a long period of time.

We will establish a reformed system by closely communicating and cooperating with various stakeholders.

We will continue to listen to new demands for processes in various fields of our society, such as easing education gaps and care gaps in the coronavirus era, protection of essential workers, prevention of industrial accidents, eradication of sexual crimes, and protection of abused children, and complementary measures.

Fellow citizens, the spirit of mutual prosperity must also be exercised in order to solve global problems such as climate change.

Our people have a strong will to live with nature even if they are a little uncomfortable.

This year is the first year of implementation of the Convention on Climate Change.

The government has been promoting the low-carbonization of our economic structure.

By expanding its efforts, we will materialize the ‘2050 Carbon Neutral’ promotion plan in all areas of society including energy and industry within this year.

The government will accelerate the development of the hydrogen economy and low-carbon industrial ecosystem and preoccupy the global market.

We will prepare together with the people so that the ‘2nd P4G Summit’ to be held in Seoul in May will be a place where the international community’s commitment to carbon neutrality can be gathered.

We will leap forward as a leading country in soft power as well.

Our culture and arts were fostered by democracy.

The creativity and free imagination of our culture and arts have become more diverse and more competitive with democracy.

K-contents such as BTS, Black Pink, and the movie’Parasite’ fascinate people around the world and give them happiness.

The government will further strengthen its status as a cultural powerhouse by supporting artistic creation activities so that cultural artists can fully exhibit their creativity and talent, and promote the digitalization of Hallyu contents.

Our sports players and leaders with excellent skills are also K-contents that promote Korea.

Last year, athletes Heung-min Son, Hyun-jin Ryu, Gwang-hyun Kim, Jin-young Ko and many other athletes delivered hope and courage to our people and people around the world.

The days of medals are over.

It is the time of enjoying.

The government will support professional athletes and sportsmen without interference so that they can enjoy sports to their heart’s content while ensuring their human rights in sports.

Corona forced distance, but paradoxically showed that the daily lives of people around the world are connected as one.

As a proud and mid-sized country, Korea will play a role as a’cross-linked country’ so that developed and developing countries can better understand each other and coexist.

Following RCEP and Korea-Indonesia CEPA, we will accelerate FTAs ​​with the Philippines, Cambodia, and Uzbekistan to expand exchanges and cooperation with the New Southern and New Northern countries.

We will accelerate negotiations with the ongoing service investment FTA with China and Russia, and with Pacific alliances such as Brazil, Argentina, Mercosur, and Mexico, and actively consider joining the CPTPP.

We will continue to strive for the future-oriented development of Korea-Japan relations.

Through our proven health and medical capabilities, high civic consciousness, excellent cultural capabilities and advancement of digital technology, the will of a carbon-neutral society, and an increased role and status in the international society, Korea is proud to lead the way as a responsible leader in soft power. Will walk.

Fellow Koreans, this year marks the 30th year since the two Koreas joined the UN at the same time.

The two Koreas must work together to prove that peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula will also benefit the international community.

A Korean peninsula of peace without war and nuclear weapons is our duty to be passed on to our nation and our descendants.

In line with the inauguration of the US Biden administration, the government will do its last to strengthen the ROK-US alliance while achieving a great turn in the stalled dialogue between North and South America.

There are many things that can be achieved through inter-Korean cooperation alone.

‘Peace’ means’win-win’.

We are aware of the close connection between livestock epidemics, new infectious diseases and natural disasters.

We are on board in many problems.

We need to find a way to cooperate for the survival and safety of the people of South and North Korea.

In the process of responding to the corona, we hope that the waters of win-win and peace will open up.

I hope that the two Koreas will be able to participate in regional dialogues, including the’Northeast Asia Quarantine and Health Cooperation’ and’Korea-ASEAN Comprehensive Health and Medical Cooperation’.

Corona cooperation can be expanded through cooperation on issues directly related to the safety and survival of the peoples of South and North Korea, such as livestock epidemics and natural disasters.

As cooperation grows wider, we can take steps to unification.

The core drivers of the peace process on the Korean Peninsula are dialogue and win-win cooperation.

Our willingness to meet anytime, anywhere and to communicate in a non-face-to-face manner remains unchanged.

All agreements between the two Koreas so far, especially the three principles of’non-warfare’,’mutual security’, and’shared prosperity’, and to draw support from the international community, will lead the East Asian region beyond the Korean Peninsula. The door to’peace, security, and life community’ centered on it will be wide open.

Fellow Koreans, masks have so far been very easy to purchase and have not been very popular in human life.

However, as the corona hits, the mask has become a beautiful item that displays a feeling of care while being a protective device to protect yourself.

The term’essential worker’ has also emerged.

During the coronavirus, I realized the hard work of people who play an indispensable role in maintaining our daily lives, such as health, care, transportation, environmental beautification, and call center workers.

We realized that one of the most common items around us could at some point become the most important item, and likewise, we realized that there are still many people who are not being treated properly while playing an essential role.

Last year we were able to reflect on what really matters to our society.

We were able to act together, reminding us that’everyone’s safety is my safety’.

In 2021, our goal is clear.

It is’recovery’ and’leap’.

I want to add’inclusion’ to it.

It will be a year to get back to life, restore the economy, and close the gap.

After the era of the Korea discount is over, we will take the path of becoming a leading country in the era of Korea Premium.

Last year was the year of rediscovering Korea, a country resistant to crisis.

2021 Let’s make this year a great year of recovery, inclusion and leap forward.

Thank you.

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