Cheonan: President Lee Jae Myung on Friday highlighted the need for balanced regional development as a "survival strategy" for South Korea, saying development concentrated in the capital has undermined broader national growth.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee made the remarks during a town hall meeting in Cheonan, 90 kilometers south of Seoul, noting the importance of regional hubs for growth and development. He emphasized that "balanced regional growth is important as a strategy for survival for the Republic of Korea," using South Korea's official name. Lee pointed out that the concentration in the broader capital area has severely undermined national growth and development.

Lee warned that if concentration in the capital deepens, it will become impossible not only for growth and development but also for maintaining the status quo. He expressed frustration over high housing prices in the capital and nearby areas, attributing them to structural problems that cannot be easily resolved with policy measures.

He urged for continued efforts to swiftly relocate government agencies to regions outside the capital and to build an administrative capital. Lee identified political conflicts of interest as a major obstacle in regional development and proposed integration efforts between South Chungcheong Province and the central city of Daejeon as a potential solution.