ID :
94893
Tue, 12/15/2009 - 00:37
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/94893
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Lee vows efforts to improve conditions for working people
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, Dec. 14 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak on Monday called for greater
government efforts to enhance the livelihood of ordinary citizens, forecasting
that the nation's overall economic conditions will improve next year.
Receiving key policy briefings for next year from the welfare, labor, gender
equality and veterans affairs ministries, Lee said working class citizens remain
vulnerable to the ongoing global crisis though conditions for large businesses
are slowly improving.
"I think corporate managers feel that conditions have returned to levels seen
before the crisis, but ordinary citizens still cannot feel the positive change,"
Lee said, renewing his estimate that it would take at least one more year and
possibly more before people begin to see signs of improving conditions.
"Our country is still a difficult one for ordinary citizens to live in and it is
difficult for us (the government) to say when it will be better for them," he
said.
The president's remarks came at the start of the joint policy briefing session by
the four ministries held at Seoul Women's Plaza in southern Seoul. The meeting
was the first of seven scheduled for all government ministries and agencies
before the end of the year.
Government reports to the president on the upcoming year's objectives usually
begin at the beginning of a new year, but Lee hurried to conclude the process
before the year's end in 2008 and is doing so again this year to allow prompt
implementation of government plans and budget from the very start of next year.
This will help those who are suffering from a lack of employment, the president
noted.
"The government tried to help people by implementing scheduled spending from the
very start of this year. But I am concerned government support for the people may
dwindle if we relax our guard just because economic conditions have improved a
little this year," the president said in the meeting.
"We must not be complacent. And that is why we are trying to conclude our reports
before the end of the year as we did in 2008 and begin working to implement
spending from Jan. 1 to provide even a little help to the people," he added.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Dec. 14 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak on Monday called for greater
government efforts to enhance the livelihood of ordinary citizens, forecasting
that the nation's overall economic conditions will improve next year.
Receiving key policy briefings for next year from the welfare, labor, gender
equality and veterans affairs ministries, Lee said working class citizens remain
vulnerable to the ongoing global crisis though conditions for large businesses
are slowly improving.
"I think corporate managers feel that conditions have returned to levels seen
before the crisis, but ordinary citizens still cannot feel the positive change,"
Lee said, renewing his estimate that it would take at least one more year and
possibly more before people begin to see signs of improving conditions.
"Our country is still a difficult one for ordinary citizens to live in and it is
difficult for us (the government) to say when it will be better for them," he
said.
The president's remarks came at the start of the joint policy briefing session by
the four ministries held at Seoul Women's Plaza in southern Seoul. The meeting
was the first of seven scheduled for all government ministries and agencies
before the end of the year.
Government reports to the president on the upcoming year's objectives usually
begin at the beginning of a new year, but Lee hurried to conclude the process
before the year's end in 2008 and is doing so again this year to allow prompt
implementation of government plans and budget from the very start of next year.
This will help those who are suffering from a lack of employment, the president
noted.
"The government tried to help people by implementing scheduled spending from the
very start of this year. But I am concerned government support for the people may
dwindle if we relax our guard just because economic conditions have improved a
little this year," the president said in the meeting.
"We must not be complacent. And that is why we are trying to conclude our reports
before the end of the year as we did in 2008 and begin working to implement
spending from Jan. 1 to provide even a little help to the people," he added.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
