ID :
56562
Tue, 04/21/2009 - 10:33
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/56562
The shortlink copeid
President Lee calls for increased efforts to overcome crisis
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak called Tuesday for renewed efforts to overcome the ongoing economic downturn, saying that an immediate or short-term improvement of conditions is not what the government is aiming for.
The president earlier noted there were now some "positive signs" of an economic
recovery after the country's central bank said the Korean economy, the world's
13th largest, could start to recover from the fourth quarter.
Lee has also said his country will be one of the first in the world to get out of
the global economic crisis.
"The reason the OECD predicted the speed of Korea's economic recovery will be the
fastest is because we are taking unprecedentedly swift measures in the face of a
crisis unseen in history," the president said Tuesday at a Cabinet meeting,
according to his spokesman Lee Dong-kwan.
But the president cautioned against premature optimism.
"We must continue to strictly implement our measures to be truly recognized as
the first nation to have overcome the crisis while taking a cautious approach to
such a positive outlook," he was quoted as saying.
"Our results for the first quarter were relatively good, but we will be judged
based on our end results, not our mid-term reports," said the president.
Lee also called for stepped up efforts to reform the public sector, saying now is
the best time to implement long-delayed changes that he earlier said will not
only help spearhead corporate restructuring throughout the country, but also
prepare the country for future competition.
Apparently noting the recent discord between ministries over the timing of the
country's joining of the U.S.-led anti-proliferation regime, Proliferation
Security Initiative, the president said it was important for the government to
voice a unified message once a decision is made.
"It is important to closely coordinate government policies between related
ministries and between the ruling party and the government so it will not be seen
as if there are different opinions (within the ruling camp) regarding current
issues," he said.
SEOUL, April 21 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak called Tuesday for renewed efforts to overcome the ongoing economic downturn, saying that an immediate or short-term improvement of conditions is not what the government is aiming for.
The president earlier noted there were now some "positive signs" of an economic
recovery after the country's central bank said the Korean economy, the world's
13th largest, could start to recover from the fourth quarter.
Lee has also said his country will be one of the first in the world to get out of
the global economic crisis.
"The reason the OECD predicted the speed of Korea's economic recovery will be the
fastest is because we are taking unprecedentedly swift measures in the face of a
crisis unseen in history," the president said Tuesday at a Cabinet meeting,
according to his spokesman Lee Dong-kwan.
But the president cautioned against premature optimism.
"We must continue to strictly implement our measures to be truly recognized as
the first nation to have overcome the crisis while taking a cautious approach to
such a positive outlook," he was quoted as saying.
"Our results for the first quarter were relatively good, but we will be judged
based on our end results, not our mid-term reports," said the president.
Lee also called for stepped up efforts to reform the public sector, saying now is
the best time to implement long-delayed changes that he earlier said will not
only help spearhead corporate restructuring throughout the country, but also
prepare the country for future competition.
Apparently noting the recent discord between ministries over the timing of the
country's joining of the U.S.-led anti-proliferation regime, Proliferation
Security Initiative, the president said it was important for the government to
voice a unified message once a decision is made.
"It is important to closely coordinate government policies between related
ministries and between the ruling party and the government so it will not be seen
as if there are different opinions (within the ruling camp) regarding current
issues," he said.
