School Uniforms: Are They Affordable?

“The principle of state administration is to change the lives of the people… We must not get caught up in only the grand agenda.”

“Private Life TF, strictly monitors unfair transactions…blocks abuse of policy gaps.”

To the staff, “When I open my eyes, I go to work, when I close my eyes, I go home… The fate of the country is in our hands.”

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Lee Jae-myung, remarks at senior aides meeting” loading=”lazy” data-pop-open=”pop-photo” data-mapping-filename=”PYH2026021214570001300_P4.jpg”/>

(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporters Go Dong-wook and Seol Seung-eun = President Lee Jae-myung ordered on the 12th, “As the school year is about to start, please take a look at the issue of the appropriateness of the price of school uniforms.”

President Lee said this at a senior aide meeting held at the Blue House on this day, saying, “It is said that the recent cost of purchasing school uniforms is close to 600,000 won.”

President Lee said, “I heard that (expensive school uniforms) are a ‘spine breaker’ for parents,” and asked, “Please consider whether it is reasonable to charge such high prices when a lot of things are generally imported, and what measures can be taken if there is a problem.”

He then ordered a review, saying, “Rather than providing money to companies, I think it would be helpful for the development of the domestic industry if we created something like a school uniform producer cooperative to create domestic jobs and make materials as domestic as possible.”

At the same time, he emphasized that “the first principle of state administration is to change the lives of the people,” and that “policy outcomes are only confirmed in the lives of the people and on the ground.”

In the same context, President Lee said that the ‘small but certain happiness’ policy that will be discussed at the meeting that day clearly demonstrates the government’s national philosophy and said, “It is important to create future growth engines such as artificial intelligence policy and K-culture and tourism, but the most important thing is to quickly and significantly improve the lives of the people in the field, even if it is small.”

He also added, “It is important to quickly discover and execute tasks that can concretely change the lives of the people, rather than being caught up in only large, difficult, and time-consuming agendas.”

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Price measures were also emphasized ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday.

Referring to his visit to Muhak Market in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province the previous day, President Lee said, “Our people are still very worried about prices and sales,” and added, “There is a lot of interest in stocks, etc., but (the warmth of the boom) doesn’t seem to have spread much to the field.”

He continued, “Yesterday, the Ministerial Task Force (TF) on the special management of public life prices was launched. In addition to short-term measures, we must thoroughly monitor unfair transactions such as collusion and monopoly of specific products,” and asked, “Please do your best to manage prices by taking preemptive measures to improve structural problems at each stage of distribution.”

He also said that there are cases where some companies take unfair advantage when items are assigned tariff tariffs, and said, “We must thoroughly block the possibility of exploiting gaps in the policy, and if such a thing actually happens, take strict responsibility and take action.”

In addition, President Lee said, “It is a holiday, so we need to take care of many things to ensure that public services operate smoothly,” and requested, “Please ensure compensation and treatment for those who give up the holiday and devote themselves to it, including in the fields of security and public safety, medical care and quarantine, and transportation and transportation.”

At the same time, he said to the Blue House staff attending the meeting, “The frontline community center staff and those of you who are responsible for the country’s fate are different. When you open your eyes, you go to work, and when you close them, you go home. Where are holidays and vacations? Please think that the fate of the country is in our hands.”

sncwook@yna.co.kr

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2026/02/12 14:59 Sent
Sent on February 12, 2026 at 14:59