President Lee Jae-myung is accelerating efforts to resolve the disadvantages faced by young people upon marriage, known as the "marriage penalty." Following the June 3 local elections, youth discontent has translated into declining approval ratings, prompting the government to undertake a comprehensive overhaul of its policy direction.

Government Designates 'Pan-Government Youth Policy' as Top Priority

The government, centered on Prime Minister Han Seung-sook, is pushing a pan-government youth policy encompassing welfare, housing, and employment as its top priority, and plans to incorporate related measures into the budget bill. On the 9th, the Prime Minister's Office and the Office for Government Policy Coordination announced personnel appointments for youth policy officials, launching an organizational restructuring.

President Lee has consistently emphasized the importance of youth-friendly policies. After directing at a June 14 meeting of senior presidential secretaries that youth policy be given the highest priority in the budget bill, related meetings have followed in succession. At a July 23 real estate policy forum, he stated, "Policies protecting youth and newlywed couples are necessary," while at a Cabinet meeting on the 4th, he noted that "youth policies are too complicated," and at a senior secretaries' meeting on the 6th, he called for "lowering the threshold for universal support."

"Youth Should Never Hesitate to Marry Because of State Policies"

On the 8th, President Lee wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that "our youth should never have to hesitate to marry because of state policies," adding that he had instructed a thorough investigation and report on the institutional disadvantages young people may face upon marriage.

The 22 tasks proposed as priorities are in areas that directly affect housing and asset formation, such as loans, subscription accounts, and taxation. Of these, 21 relate to real estate, including "easing income requirements for the Diddimtdol (Stepping Stone) homeownership loan." President Lee added that he would carefully review each improvement measure one by one.

Sensitivity Also Rises Within the Democratic Party

Sensitivity toward the youth demographic is also rising within the Democratic Party. Rep. Hwang Hee faced criticism after proposing the "remodeling of decommissioned buses" as a youth housing solution, and Han Jung-ae, chair of the Policy Committee, expressed regret over the decommissioned bus controversy at a press conference on the 9th.

The opposition is also intensely targeting the Lee Jae-myung government's youth policies. Former Rep. Yoo Seung-min criticized the administration on the 7th, citing the rent crisis and stock market plunge and saying, "Young people have nowhere to place their hopes for the future." On the same day, People Power Party leader Jang Dong-hyok launched a strong attack, stating, "It was President Lee who created the marriage penalty."

The government's all-out effort to develop youth-tailored policies, including the elimination of the "marriage penalty" where existing benefits shrink upon marriage registration, is interpreted as a full-scale response to prevent the erosion of support among the 2030 generation.