Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung says businesses are at the center of efforts to revive the economy. 

Lee made the remarks Thursday at a roundtable with presidential candidates hosted by the nation’s top five economic organizations, including the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Federation of Korean Industries and the Korea International Trade Association. 

Lee said the days when the government handled economic and industrial issues are long gone, stressing that now is the time for the government to trust the private sector’s expertise and capabilities and provide its active support. 

He stressed that it is essential for the government to plan and implement policies from a consumer perspective. 

Calling South Korea the only postcolonial nation to have achieved both industrialization and democratization in a short time, Lee said its businesses and their role as exporters were central to that feat.