During a town hall meeting held in Jeonju, South Korea, President Yoon Seok-yeol spoke about the prolonged Saemangeum development project, which has been underway for over thirty years. He expressed concerns regarding the uncertainty of its completion and called for a realistic reassessment of the project's goals in light of contemporary circumstances. He criticized the idea of continuing the project as it was originally planned, especially when it involves substantial financial investments that might not yield desirable results.

President Yoon suggested that the original intentions of the development, which were based on agricultural expansion, might no longer be relevant. He pointed to the practicality of alternative solutions, such as the installation of solar panels on water bodies instead of traditional land reclamation, asking if such methods hadn't become more suitable in today's context. Furthermore, he highlighted the issue of political motivations potentially hindering effective progress and stated that he loathes the idea of misleading the public with unattainable promises—what he referred to as "hope torture."

The president's remarks indicate a need for a shift towards a more feasible and modern approach to the Saemangeum project, reflecting an awareness of current economic and environmental demands. This call for reevaluation is underlined by recent large-scale investments by companies like Hyundai in the region, focusing on future industries such as AI and hydrogen, suggesting a potential pivot from traditional projects to more innovative solutions that align with current global trends.