South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol announced on Tuesday a comprehensive strategy to combat the country’s low birth rate and enhance regional development in the first “Livelihood Discussion with the People” held in Busan. Yoon emphasized the need for balanced regional growth and detailed the “Three Major Livelihood Packages for the Era of Local Governance” to connect job opportunities, talent cultivation and improved living conditions to spur national competitiveness.

Yoon’s plan includes the “Global Hub City Special Act” to transform Busan into a logistic, financial and high-tech center, alongside educational reforms such as autonomous public high schools and K-pop high schools and constructing a children’s hospital in Busan. These measures are designed to revitalize local economies, improve quality of life and encourage the development of local talent to contribute to regional and national growth.