President Lee says too soon to talk of exit plan for Korean economy

By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, July 27 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak said Monday it is too early to
discuss an exit plan for the country's economy, an indication the government will
continue its fiscal spending for the time being.
Addressing the nation in his biweekly national radio address, Lee expressed
confidence, however, that South Korea will be the first to recover from the
global economic crisis.
"I believe we still need to make some efforts for growth, but what I can say for
sure is that we will recover before any other country in the world, although I
cannot pinpoint when, and that I believe we will be able to offer benefits to our
citizens before any other country," he said.
"There are some people who ask whether we shouldn't be preparing for what comes
next. And they say we should develop an exit plan, but I think it is still too
early to discuss that," the president added.
Asked about the upcoming amnesty next month, Lee reaffirmed that it will be for
those who need it to sustain their livelihoods.
The government is expected to pardon nearly 1.5 million people, including
farmers, fishermen and traffic violators, on Aug. 15 to commemorate Liberation
Day. The move is aimed at helping people whose arrest or other punishment, such
as being stripped of a driver's license, seriously impedes their ability to make
a living, officials have said.
"What is more deplorable is that ordinary citizens are the first to suffer from
an economic crisis, but they are the last to benefit from a recovery," President
Lee said.
Monday's national address, the 20th of its kind since Lee began the biweekly
speeches nine months ago, was the first in which the president was interviewed.
Questions touched on a wide range of issues, including the recent passage of
controversial media law revisions by the National Assembly.
Lee would not comment on the political strife that followed unilateral
legislation of the three bills by his ruling Grand National Party last week, but
said the revisions were solely aimed at raising the country's competitiveness, as
well as that of its media industry.
"I think the time when a particular political force can control the media has
passed," he said, responding to the opposition's criticism that the revisions are
a means for the government to streamline and control domestic media companies.
Critics also claim the revisions, if enacted will allow private firms and
newspapers to own stakes in broadcasting companies, will lead to the
monopolization of mass media by a handful of conglomerates and well-resourced
newspapers.
"Many new technologies can be derived when we merge the media industry with the
communications industry. The world is doing so, and it can put us in an
advantageous position while competing with the rest of the world because we have
the latest IT (information and telecommunication) technologies," he said.
Recent reports have suggested the president may try to overcome the ongoing
political feud by reshuffling Cabinet ministers and secretaries.
Lee denied the speculation, saying such a move would only be a "makeshift"
solution that might provide short-term benefits but would certainly damage the
work of the government.
"Of course, there could be some people we need to be replaced for the better ...
but I believe putting all the blame on those people and replacing them just to
avoid a political crisis will lead to a worse outcome under current conditions,"
the president said.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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