Finance ministry calls for citizen-first policy at first agency meeting

SEOUL — Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lee Hyung-il convened his first meeting with the finance ministry's affiliated agencies on Thursday, telling the heads of the tax, customs and procurement services and several public institutions that the starting point for every judgment must be the public and the field.

The meeting at the Government Complex in Seoul brought together the deputy prime minister, who chaired it, the ministry's deputy minister for planning and coordination, its innovation growth office chief, treasury office chief, tax office chief, international economic affairs chief and spokesperson, along with the deputy commissioner of the National Tax Service, the head of the Korea Customs Service, the chief of the Public Procurement Service and the presidents of the Korea Investment Corporation, the Korea Asset Management Corporation, the Korea Export-Import Bank, the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation, the Korea-U.S. Strategic Investment Corporation, the Korea Origin Information Service and the Korea Customs Information Service, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The meeting was arranged ahead of the parliamentary audit of government agencies to review each institution's major pending issues and difficulties and to discuss cooperation between the finance ministry and its affiliated bodies.

"The government's growth momentum continues, but external uncertainties persist and the public's sense of economic recovery is not yet sufficient," Lee said. He stressed that the role of agencies closest to the public is more important than ever. He told them to break away from a supplier's perspective and established practices, to listen directly to the inconveniences experienced by citizens and businesses, and to make even small but certain changes. He also asked them to check that ordinary people and vulnerable groups are not left out of the system.

"Policies already decided must be carried out quickly and followed through to the end," Lee said, calling for fewer unnecessary reports and countermeasures. He asked each agency to apply artificial intelligence across its work to shorten processing times and improve the accuracy and convenience of public services.

Participants shared the view that stabilizing prices is an urgent priority, and discussed responding to tax evasion, preventing abuse of tariff quotas and improving unfair practices in public procurement. They also exchanged views on debt restructuring for financially vulnerable households, export financing and support for exporters in the artificial intelligence, advanced industry, defense and nuclear sectors, the push for investment projects in the United States and the introduction of a strategic sovereign wealth fund.