Serendipitous Cooperation
Serendipitous Cooperation
  • Chun Go-eun
  • 승인 2009.01.16 17:03
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When Obama won his historic presidential victory on Nov. 4, 2008, the Blue House wasted no time in sending its congratulations. Lee administration spokesman Lee Dong-kwan said: "The Korean government believes that Obama's victory is the outcome of Americans' support for his promise of hope and change. President Lee has consistently emphasized the importance of change and reform since he assumed office, and the two leaders share a common philosophy in those areas."

Lee Myung-bak, President of the Republic of Korea
Barack Obama, President of the United States of America

The two leaders also spoke to each other by phone on November 7, Obama placing the call to Lee and expressing strong support for continued good relations between the two countries. "I'm a great admirer of your country and people," Obama was quoted by Lee Dong-kwan, Lee's spokesperson, as saying. Obama was also quoted as enjoying Korean cuisine. "Obama said bulgogi and kimchi are one of his favorite lunch items," reported Lee.

Its not just empty words either. The two administrations have been saying similar things, engaging in similar policy statements, and perhaps even borrowing phrases from each other. Also, the two presidents are planning to meet with each other in person in London this April. So far it is shaping up to be a bi-presidential match made in heaven.

Candlelight protests marked strong opposition to some Lee administration policies earlier in 2008
Obama makes a good speech, and during his presidential campaign he had time to make a lot of them. He's promised a lot of things and laid out a very attractive and clear policy on a number of issues. It may be that he has problems in implementing all his policies, especially since he must deal with a global financial crisis first. That would put a damper on anyone's first year of office.

Lee Myung-bak also has a long list of accomplishments he promised to tackle, but unlike Obama he's had some time to try to accomplish them, and has also been forced to realize his opponents are stronger than he anticipated. The KORUS FTA is still stalled, his canal project is basically dead, and he has had to sacrifice several ministers to appease the masses. However, Lee has been quick to change his focus to dealing with the global financial crisis in a way similar to Obama.

Economic Stimuli

Candlelight protests filled downtown Seoul
The Obama administration has promised to do several things to quickly turn around the economy. First, Obama will provide a $1,000 Emergency Energy Rebate to American families. This Robin- Hood-esque move will levy an emergency windfall profits tax on oil companies in order to finance the rebate. Obama promises to do more in the future, and asks US citizens to consider this a down payment on further tax relief.

Another down payment will be a $50 billion dollar influx of cash money to rejuvenate the US economy and keep people from losing their jobs. This is generously and evenly distributed between a State Growth Fund to keep state governments running smoothly and a Jobs and Growth Fund to keep federal jobs from being cut.

Not to be outdone, the Lee administration is also offering cash money to its citizens. The Korean government is fully prepared to provide a 13th month bonus to all taxpayers. Since the standard of year-end tax adjustment alters every year due to various circumstances, numerous internet portals are providing a Yearend Tax Adjustment Service to help people make sure to take advantage of this tax refund.

Also, similar to the Obama-Biden Jobs and Growth Fund, President Lee Myung-bak's administration is providing 19.5 trillion won to a Digital New Deal and Energy New Deal Growth Fund. This is expected to create 300,000 job positions in the New Year. The Digital New Deal is the convergence between the IT New Deal and a Software New Deal, where the expansion of RFID/USN, LED, and the digital textbook business are mostly expected. Under a goal to create 300,000 new jobs, the Lee Myung-bak Economy, or Mbnomics as it is called, is planning to focus on providing New Renewable Energy, commercializing software service business models, and expanding outsourcing industries including design and consulting.

Obama has stated that trade with foreign nations should strengthen the American economy and create more American jobs. He has said that he will stand firm against agreements that undermine our economic security. From the Obama campaign web site, "Obama and Biden will fight for a trade policy that opens up foreign markets to support good American jobs. They will use trade agreements to spread good labor and environmental standards around the world and stand firm against agreements like the Central American Free Trade Agreement that fail to live up to those important benchmarks."

The Lee administration has also been forced to think in this way, although it wasn't actually Lee's doing. Strong protests by the public in 2008 about US beef imports that would be implemented under the KORUS FTA forced the administration to stop and consider its political rivals who deftly manipulated public opinion to their advantage. Also, extreme debate in the Assembly House has stalled the FTA further. Assemblymen have been using sledgehammers, fire extinguishers, and chairs to represent their constituents, which has slowed down the legislative process.

Manufacturing and Green Jobs

The Obama administration also has a long-term plan to invest at least $150 billion over the next ten years to advance technological evolution of biofuel usage and biofuel infrastructure. They also want to accelerate the commercialization of plug-in hybrids, promote development of commercial scale renewable energy, invest in low emissions coal plants, and begin transition to a new digital electricity grid. The plan will also invest in America's highly-skilled manufacturing workforce and manufacturing centers to ensure that American workers have the skills and tools they need to pioneer the first wave of green technologies that will be in high demand throughout the world.

Obama and Lee were on the same track again, because just a few days ago Lee announced a plan to invest 300 billion won on Green Technology and New Growth Industry. Another 10 billion won will be given to fund new venture companies. The New Growth Industry Expert Fund will be created to support Green IT and biofuels. The plan will also invest in creating a hidden Korean champion by funding the field of Green Technology. The government's support will increase from 31.8 billion won to 48.7 billion won this year. By training 5000 companies, the government seeks to ensure the manpower to compete in the upcoming wave of green technologies. The research and development on green technologies, therefore, will be strengthened with twice the investment by the government by 2012. Converged technology from the information technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology fields will launch to develop along with the green technologies in order to penetrate the global market in 5 years.

Obama is not only thinking about developing green energy, but developing a sustainable workforce to support this growing industry. His administration plans to increase funding for federal workforce training programs and direct these programs to incorporate green technologies training, such as advanced manufacturing and weatherization training, into their efforts to help Americans find and retain stable, high-paying jobs. The Obama administration also wants to create an energy-focused youth jobs program to invest in disconnected and disadvantaged youth.

 

Green energy installations are cropping up in South Korea
Back in Korea, a New Job Training Program was suggested in December 2008 by the Ministry of Education and Science Technology (MEST) at a presidential briefing. MEST provided a program to create jobs for 50,000 youth. Two roles, the Education Administration Internship position and Afterschool Tutor position, were added to the plan which created 34,500 new jobs in the field of education services. Creation of an environmentally friendly Green School opens up 8,300 new jobs, and 7,600 internships at universities and research centers Korea-wide have opened up.

 

The Mbnomics plan will also invest in disadvantaged youth with the Total Support System. The system covers everything from tuition to food vouchers to afterschool free tutoring as a package. Financial aid for university students is also being taken as a consideration in the MB Administration and its budget limit was raised to 845.6 billion won from 467.3 billion won.

The "Obama-Biden Plan," as it is sometimes called, will do whatever it takes federally to create new jobs in the US. The administration will create a federal Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that will require 25 percent of American electricity be derived from renewable sources by 2025, which has the potential to create hundreds of thousands of new jobs on its own. Obama and Biden will also extend the Production Tax Credit, a credit used successfully by American farmers and investors to increase renewable energy production and create new local jobs.

They were quite possibly thinking the same thing when the MB Administration set out a plan to create 4,300 New Renewable Energy jobs. The Ministry of Knowledge and Economy announced its decision to invest 740 billion won by 2012 to provide New Renewable Energy sources. Not only does it help to carve out a path to strengthen the future growth industry, but also create jobs. The Lee Administration has on its agenda to provide suitable new renewable energy to different regions by 2020 including solar power, wind power, or biogas. This project is expected to cost 739.1 billion won by 2012, yet will create 4,348 New Renewable Energy jobs. Moreover, the Ministry of Environment is promoting environmentally friendly vehicles and the technological development in core Green Car parts. The major project is to develop an energy saving system for PHEV to strengthen the technological power in an earlier stage. Approximately 193 billion won will be invested by the Lee Administration in support of this project and 196 Green Car Related Jobs are expected to be created. Also by 2012, 20% of the public facilities will change their lights to LEDs to conserve energy. Mbnomics is seeking to invest 1.3 trillion won into this business and expects LEDs to give good returns to the company. The estimation is that LED business expansion and raised revenue will open up to 10,000 jobs in the country.

Ever-present Danger

Obama's and Lee's positions on North Korea are also similar. The Lee administration has been pushing a hard line of disengagement and silence against North Korea's bullying tactics, and a break down of traditional lines of communication has been the result. One housewife was shot and killed in a resort near the North Korean border, which may have been a coincidence but also may have been a message written in blood. Also, the Kaesong Industrial Complex built by South Korea to operate in the North with North Korean labor is reported to be closing soon.

Dashing the hopes of left-leaners everywhere, Obama's policy on North Korea bears striking resemblance to the previous administration, and also the Lee administration. The Council on Foreign Relations summarizes Obama's policy quite succinctly, saying: "President-elect Obama advocates for developing an international coalition to handle nuclear North Korea, calls the Six-Party Talks ad hoc, and says he supports sustained, direct, and aggressive diplomacy. In a September 2008 presidential debate, Obama said a lack of diplomatic engagement with North Korea led the country to significantly increase its nuclear capacity, and said the Bush administration's eventual reengagement with the regime led to some progress."

Unprecedented Cooperation

With agendas that match up so perfectly, the alliance between the two countries can expect to grow stronger. That is, after all, the very definition of alliance - two countries with similar goals banding together to pursue mutual interests. The next few years will most likely see a new level of Korean - US cooperation that the previous years of anti-American Korean presidents and the Sunshine Policy did not previously allow. It's a good time to be Korean, and a good time to be American.


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