President Lee reaffirms efforts to create jobs

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Feb. 8 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak said Monday that South Korea
has greatly enhanced its international status but it can not afford to be
complacent yet as it still faces a daunting task of creating jobs.

"South Korea is transforming itself from a country that follows rules (set by
other nations) into a nation which makes rules," Lee said in his biweekly radio
address.
The president said global political and business leaders he met in the Davos
Forum last month agreed that Seoul is playing a bigger role in the international
community, especially a bridging role between advanced and developing nations.
South Korea is riding out the global economic crisis faster than any other
countries. It is the chair of this year's summit of the world's 20 major
economies to be held in Seoul Nov. 11-12.
In November last year, South Korea also joined the Development Assistance
Committee, a group of donor countries under the Paris-based Organization for
Economic Cooperations and Development, becoming the first-and-only nation to
shift its position from a recipient of international aid to a donor.
"South Korea's success itself is inspiring many countries to have dream and
hope," Lee said.
For all the accomplishments, however, the president said it is premature for
South Korea to be complacent about the accomplishments.
"Given the agony of jobless people, we can't be relaxed even for a moment.
Creating jobs is the best policy for citizens and welfare," he said. "Just as
South Korea got out of the global economic crisis at the fastest speed, I will
strive to make South Korea an exemplary country in terms of job creation."
Lee, formerly a business CEO, called for companies to support such government
efforts.
"The role of corporate and the civilian sector is as important as that of the
government in resolving the worldwide problem of 'jobless growth," he said. "That
is why South Korea plans to host the 'Business Summit,' attended by a large
number of global business leaders, together with the G-20 summit in November."
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)

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