Lee pledges investor-friendly policies

By Yoo Cheong-mo
SEOUL, Oct. 17 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak on Friday said he will accelerate efforts to make the Korean economy more attractive to potential foreign and domestic investors through further market opening, deregulatory reform and the advancement of public corporations.

Lee made the remark during his meeting with Michael E. Porter, a professor at the
Harvard Business School, at the presidential office. The meeting came after
Porter agreed to become a member of Lee's international advisory group.
Porter, a leading authority on competitive strategy and international
competitiveness, is in Seoul to attend the 9th World Knowledge Forum.
"I'm determined to upgrade Korea's national competitiveness by strongly pushing
ahead with investor-friendly policies," the president was quoted by his spokesman
as saying.
Lee and Porter exchanged views on pending global issues, with the U.S. professor
saying uncertainties in the global financial market are now dissipating.
Porter also stressed the importance of the transparent disclosure of financial
market information, speedier liberalization of the real economy, removal of
protectionist practices in key industries and a more flexible labor market, among
other things, according to presidential spokesman Lee Dong-kwan.
Lee's international advisory group was launched in June with 15 world-renowned
scholars, statesmen and entrepreneurs from 11 countries across the world.
Its key members include Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, French scholar Guy Sorman,
former Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, World Economic Forum chairman
Klaus Schwab and Harvard University President Lawrence Summers.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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