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Comparing Lee Myung-bak’s pragmatism to Lee Jae Myung

Published: 23 Jan. 2026, 00:02

Lee Sang-ryeol

The author is a senior editorial writer at the JoongAng Ilbo.

Not long ago, a welcome piece of news emerged. Four Meister high schools in Seoul, including Seoul Robotics High School, recorded an average application rate of 159.8 percent. Among the five semiconductor-focused Meister high schools nationwide, some posted competition rates exceeding 250 percent. Meister high schools are industry-tailored vocational schools created under the Lee Myung-bak administration. Companies define the skills they need, and schools teach those skills. Lee Myung-bak promoted Meister high schools as a core policy to strengthen Korea’s economic competitiveness. He believed global competition was ultimately a competition over quality and that quality depended on the work force on the industrial front lines. He also took seriously the problem of young people graduating from expensive universities only to find no jobs.

A visitor tries a racing game developed by students of Daegu Software Meister High School at the 7th Korea Software Expo held at COEX in Gangnam District, Seoul, on Dec. 7, 2022. [NEWS1]

Meister high schools came with strong incentives: full tuition and dormitory fees waived, half of coursework devoted to on-site training, tax deductions for internship expenses and a full income tax exemption for three years after employment. Since they taught what companies actually wanted, strong job placement followed naturally. In 2025, the employment rate of Meister high schools reached 73.1 percent, outperforming many elite universities. The number of such schools has grown from 21 in 2010 to 57 today.

Lee was deeply committed to the project. When his presidency is recalled, achievements such as overcoming the global financial crisis or winning the United Arab Emirates nuclear power plant contract often come to mind. Yet he reportedly told aides that establishing Meister high schools was among the most rewarding accomplishments of his term. His final official event at the Blue House was a luncheon for principals from more than 40 Meister high schools nationwide.

Meister high schools exemplified Lee’s brand of pragmatism. They allowed students from less privileged backgrounds to secure decent jobs without relying on parental connections, reduced education costs for ordinary households and supplied companies with skilled workers. It was a clear win-win project. Lee’s pragmatism lay in relentlessly pursuing what markets and policy beneficiaries actually needed. The Korea-US currency swap that stabilized foreign exchange markets overnight and the discount gas stations that lowered fuel prices through joint purchasing reflected the same approach.

Few politicians rival President Lee Jae Myung when it comes to emphasizing pragmatism. The defining challenge of the current era is jobs. In December last year, the unemployment rate stood at 4.1 percent, with roughly 1.21 million people unemployed, the worst figure since the mass layoffs of the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Youth unemployment is particularly severe. While the official jobless rate for people in their 20s is 6.2 percent, around 400,000 are not even seeking work and remain outside the labor market. Employment among those over 60 is rising while youth employment is falling, pushing Korea toward a K-shaped divide. The president has called for extraordinary measures, but the situation is daunting. The first generation of entrepreneurs who saw job creation as a patriotic duty has largely passed from the scene. Companies battered by protectionism under U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s technological advance have little room to expand hiring. At the same time, AI and robotics are erasing existing jobs.

Former President Lee Myung-bak delivers congratulatory remarks to graduates at the first Meister high school commencement ceremony held at Incheon Electronics Meister High School on Feb. 7, 2013. Lee said, “Academic credentials matter, but society should place greater value on ability.” [POOL PHOTO]

It is also difficult to deny that current government policies have contributed to the employment cliff. After the government adopted an uncompromising stance on industrial accident fatalities, construction sites nationwide froze. Following tighter lending and transaction restrictions under the Oct. 15, 2025 housing measures, the real estate market cooled sharply. The Yellow Envelope Bill, which weakens employer responses to illegal strikes and mandates collective bargaining with subcontractors, has further dampened companies’ willingness to hire. Last year, employment in construction fell by 125,000 and manufacturing jobs declined by 73,000, developments closely tied to this environment.

Meanwhile, regulatory reform to revive corporate vitality has taken a back seat. Major regulations such as the 52-hour workweek remain intact, while higher corporate taxes and new rules like the Yellow Envelope Bill and revisions to the Commercial Act have increased business burdens. The economy’s 0.3 percent contraction in the fourth quarter was a direct result. Jobs do not grow in a shrinking economy.

Pragmatism is ultimately judged by results. What, then, is President Lee Jae Myung’s pragmatism? Resolving the employment crisis is far more urgent and consequential than celebrating a Kospi 5,000 milestone that draws cheers from those in power.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.