Presidential Green Growth Commission Launched 

Apresidential commission on green growth was formally launched by President Lee Myung-bak on Monday, February 16.

President Lee presided over the first session of the commission held at Cheong Wa Dae that morning. He said: “Green growth is not a matter of choice, but a requirement that we must fulfill by all means for our future survival. What matters is whether we can take the lead based on our own original technology, or whether we have to lag behind other countries.”

The presidential green growth commission is an agency to implement the national vision for Low Carbon, Green Growth, which President Lee set forth in his address celebrating Liberation Day on August 15th last year. Prime Minister Han Seung-soo and Kim Hyung-kook, a professor emeritus of Seoul National University, will jointly chair the commission.

The commission consists of 47 members -- 29 business and social leaders and 18 public servants and chiefs of government- funded think tanks -- working under three subcommittees on green growth and industry; climate change and energy; and green life and sustainable development.

In addition, a green growth planning office to be led by Woo Ki-jong, former chief of the strategic FTA planning office, and Kim Sang-hyup, the presidential secretary for future vision, will assist in the commission.

Aside from the three subcommittees, the commission will operate a working group of about 60 experts to make it possible for the government, the private sector, and the group of experts to communicate and cooperate with each other sufficiently.

In the meantime, Cheong Wa Dae has decided to turn itself into a green office, while cutting by more than 20 percent of carbon dioxide emissions by 2012 by reducing the amount of resources used, including energy and water, and waste.

President Lee Calls for Emergency Export Plans

At the fifth emergency economic council meeting, held for the first time outside the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday (Feb. 5), President Lee Myung-bak ordered his economic aides to put together a package of emergency export strategies.

Commenting on the latest fall in Korea's exports, a 32.8 percent plunge in January year-on-year, Lee emphasized that the strategies to be employed should differ from those used when the world economy was faring well.

The fifth emergency economic meeting took place at the Gwacheon Government Complex in Gyeonggi-do where economy- related ministries, such as the Ministry of Strategy and Finance and the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, are located.

President Lee said that the Japanese and Latin American markets should be fully exploited, and also that exports are very important for the Korean economy to remain vibrant throughout the year, according to the vice presidential spokesperson Kim Eun-hye.

Lee also underscored support for cashstrapped small- and medium- sized companies. “The government should lend as much support as possible for businesses when they are endeavoring to grab every opportunity,” Lee said.

He also said that the government should take care of firms which are being treated unfairly just because of the fact that they are undergoing a debt workout program.

Meanwhile, senior presidential secretary for economy Yoon Jin-sik said President Lee will hold additional emergency economic meetings whenever they are deemed necessary. The regular weekly meeting has been taking place every Thursday since Jan. 8.

President Calls for Joining Hands to Overcome Crisis at Roundtable Talk 

President Lee Myung-bak called on citizens to join hands to overcome the current economic crisis. President Lee said this during a 90-minute nationally-televised roundtable talk hosted by SBS TV on January 30 with the approach of his first inauguration anniversary on February 25.

Roundtable panelists discussed how the President should exercise leadership in creating an investment-friendly environment by lifting various regulations and improving the labor-management relations and how he should listen to citizens' desires by giving equal opportunities to those who have failed to achieve success despite painstaking efforts.

First of all, the President expressed his deep sympathy to those whose sons and daughters have not found jobs or whose husbands have lost jobs, and those who have difficulty making both ends meet. He then asked citizens to collect their courage to cope with the current economic difficulties, adding that the government will be more determined to overcome the difficulties. As a hopeful indicator, he cited foreign economic institutions' predictions that Korea will improve its economy fastest among the countries in the world next year.

The President said Korea's economy will improve remarkably next year, regardless of foreign economic institutions' speculations. He added, “History proves that the Koreans are a great people.” The country emerged as one of the world's largest economies from the ashes of the Korean War despite lack of resources or funds, he recalled.

The President asked citizens to collect their courage to cope with the current situation and share jobs among themselves. To cite an example, he said, “I've heard that the labor and management at the Korea National Housing Corporation have agreed to cut a welfare budget of 4 billion won (US$2.74 million) for its about 7,000 staff to create jobs for about 1,000 housewives living in leased apartments.”

He went on to say, “The government is, of course, trying to overcome the current [economic] crisis. It will also make sufficient preparations for the future. Opportunities for the future don't come by accident, but will come to those who have made them.” He then promised that the government will prepare to make such opportunities.

President, Secretary Meet to Discuss Pressing Issues

 

President Lee Myung-bak had a meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the 20th of February. They talked about the strength of the relationship between South Korea and the US, the North Korea issue, how to overcome the global economic crisis, and climatic change. It was something like a joint press statement.

Lee said: “My country - the average income was only 40 dollars a month per person about 50 years ago - has improved a lot after adopting democracy and the market economy. The success of Korea is a good example of America's diplomacy, and America should be proud of it.” Secretary of State Clinton replied: “The achievements that Korea has made are an extraordinary success story and beyond many country's predictions.”

Mrs. Clinton went on to say that the US is still strongly in support of the defense of South Korea. She pointed to letting American soldiers stay in Korea as the evidence of the US's determination. She said, “The relationship between America and Korea is unshakable.”

Finally, President Lee spoke about the nuclear power of North Korea, by mentioning: “Even though North Korea might not give up their nuclear weapons, it is possible that North Korea might drop their nuclear weapons if we can persuade them.” Christopher Hill, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, was also present and commented: “I absolutely agree with him. We have to let them know that there is a lot money at stake, and they will lose a lot of economic and political power if they retain their nuclear power.”

Both Lee and Clinton agreed that Korea, the US, Japan, and China have to cooperate together on both North Korea and recovering from the global economic crisis. Mrs. Clinton promised to speak to Chinese officials about having a positive effect on the world, rather than just engaging in a zero sum game, with Lee's encouragement.