President Lee to address nation in National Assembly speech

By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak will address the nation next
week in a speech to the National Assembly, to be read by his prime minister, to
appeal for parliament's approval of next year's budget and speak on a variety of
issues facing the country, an official at the presidential office said Thursday.
"The speech will be read by Prime Minister Chung Un-chan on behalf of the
president," Lee Dong-kwan, the president's top secretary for public relations,
told reporters.
President Lee is expected to call for parliament's support for various government
projects aimed at tackling the fallout from the global economic crisis and urge
bipartisan support for the country's successful hosting of the G-20 economic
summit next year.
The president customarily addresses the nation before the start of the
parliament's budget session, but Lee was also expected to state his position, for
the first time publicly, on a recent controversy over the construction of an
administrative town in the central region of Chungcheong Province.
The government reportedly wishes to significantly reduce the number of government
ministries and agencies to be relocated to the new administrative town, named
Sejong, despite strong protest from residents and opposition legislators of the
province.
The president was earlier asked by National Assembly Speaker Kim Hyong-o to
personally address the parliament and end the controversy.
Lee Dong-kwan did not elaborate on the reason the president decided to have his
prime minister give the speech.
Lee has twice addressed the parliament in person since coming into office in
February last year.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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