Lee Jae Myung told a Cabinet meeting he wants 2026 remembered as the start of a leap to 3% potential growth, $50,000 per-capita income and the world’s fourth-largest trade.
Exports nearing $500 billion in the first half, a 16% rise in non-semiconductor shipments and stronger facility investment underpinned his view that real growth can reach 3% this year.
Lee ordered all-out efforts to stabilize prices and real estate, push three major megaprojects and tackle structural problems including youth jobs, housing, assets and labor-market gaps.
Starting July 15, his office will hold nine rounds of ministry work reports covering 140 public institutions, beginning with finance-related agencies before science, land, agriculture and maritime ministries report on July 16.
Lee also said his recent NATO summit and Mongolia trip opened cooperation in defense, high-tech and critical-mineral supply chains, and told ministries to turn those gains into practical economic benefits.
How will South Korea's high-tech goals be impacted by its pragmatic diplomacy with the Trump administration and rivals?
Amid record growth targets, can President Lee solve the housing and wealth crisis plaguing South Korea's youth?
Can President Lee’s ambitious economic vision proceed while five major criminal trials remain frozen during his term?
Achieving 3% Growth: President Lee Jae-myung’s 2026 “3·4·5 Vision” and South Korea’s Path to Sustainable Economic Transformation
Overview
President Lee Jae-myung's '3·4·5 Vision' for 2026 is built on South Korea's fastest nominal economic growth in fifty years, driven by a booming semiconductor industry and a global surge in demand for AI technologies. This has led to a significant rebound in semiconductor shipments, boosting government finances through increased tax revenues from corporate profits and income taxes. These positive economic indicators and strategic government initiatives create a strong foundation for ambitious growth targets, showing how robust industry performance can directly support national development and fiscal strength.