Seoul: Democratic Party (DP) candidate Lee Jae-myung announced on Sunday his commitment to form a task force to address the ongoing economic crisis if elected president in the upcoming June 3 election. Speaking at a press conference at the DP headquarters, Lee emphasized that the establishment of this task force, directly overseen by the president, would be his priority.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee outlined his strategy to tackle the economic challenges, stating, “Only the candidate and the party prepared to resolve problems that have piled up can overcome this crisis.” He pledged to implement measures that can swiftly aid people’s livelihoods and counter the recession. Lee highlighted the importance of supporting small business owners affected by trade issues and evolving global security environments, proposing “efficient” plans to rejuvenate the economy.

He stressed that the focus should be on economic recovery and livelihood restoration, rather than spending excessive energy on judicial and law enforcement reforms. Lee advocated for a supplementary budget to meet urgent economic needs, emphasizing the necessity for “short-term stimulus.” Additionally, he proposed the creation of a new agency dedicated to regulatory reform to bolster corporate activities.

Lee expressed his willingness to transcend ideological differences when enacting policies beneficial to the economy and the populace. He also emphasized the need to eliminate the “vicious cycle” of political confrontations and conflicts, criticizing the previous president, Yoon Suk Yeol, for deepening political divides.

“I am the right person to end the politics of division because I understand better than anyone the ills of political retribution through abuse of power,” Lee asserted. He promised to punish those responsible for treasonous acts without engaging in politically motivated retributions.

Addressing concerns about the Democratic Party’s potential dominance in both legislative and executive branches if he wins, Lee dismissed such fears as “preposterous.” He argued that the opposition party’s majority in the National Assembly serves as a check on the ruling party’s power.

In response to critiques regarding his proposal to amend the Constitution for two four-year presidential terms, Lee clarified that the amendment would not apply to the sitting president and called for an end to misleading political attacks.

Acknowledging the electoral landscape, Lee noted the possibility of conservative candidates Kim Moon-soo and Lee Jun-seok merging their campaigns to challenge him. He also deflected questions about his wife, Kim Hye-kyung, and her potential involvement in the campaign, citing her personal decision-making.

Kim Hye-kyung has remained out of the public eye following a court fine for election law violations related to her use of a corporate card during Lee’s tenure as governor of Gyeonggi province.

During a campaign rally in Dangjin, Lee vowed to impose severe penalties on stock market manipulators as part of efforts to revitalize the market, predicting that such measures would lead to an increase in stock prices.