Lee says energy crisis sparked by Mideast war keeps him awake

▲ President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a town hall meeting with residents at Cheju Halla University in the city of Jeju on South Korea's largest island of the same name on March 30, 2026. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

Lee-energy crisis

Lee says energy crisis sparked by Mideast war keeps him awake

SEOUL, March 30 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Jae Myung said Monday that the energy crisis triggered by the Middle East war is so serious that it keeps him awake at night, stressing the need to transition to renewable energy.

Lee made the remark during a town hall meeting on the southern island of Jeju, warning that the situation is "worse than you think" and could deteriorate further.

"The whole world is in chaos because of the energy issue, and it's so serious that I can't fall asleep either," he said, stressing the need to quickly transition to renewable energy sources.

Lee also asked for residents' opinions on local issues, such as the potential construction of an undersea tunnel connecting Jeju to the mainland, and the construction of a second airport on the island.

He effectively expressed his opposition to the tunnel project by saying that he thinks the island characteristics of Jeju are "what make Jeju, Jeju."

The island was the final stop in a series of town hall meetings that Lee led in 12 cities and provinces across the nation beginning shortly after his inauguration in June last year.

Cheong Wa Dae said it is considering other formats to facilitate direct communication between the president and the public, such as town hall meetings that are organized by theme, not region.

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