Lee urges increased efforts to promote job creation

By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, Dec. 16 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak called for stepped up efforts
to create more jobs Wednesday, saying the public and especially young people face
difficulties stemming from a job shortage caused by the global economic crisis.

The president noted the country has done a better job than most other nations in
protecting jobs, but that unemployment is still the most serious problem for
those out of work.
"There was a report that showed that 80,000 jobs disappeared this year instead of
the 250,000 that was earlier predicted. We can say we did pretty well because
fewer jobs disappeared than expected, but it is still a big problem for our young
people," Lee said.
"The problem is that we are not yet creating many new jobs," he added.
Lee's remarks came at the start of a joint policy briefing by the finance
ministry, the Financial Services Commission and the Fair Trade Commission, held
at the Korea Chamber of Commerce in downtown Seoul.
The president cited a lack of jobs as one reason why working class people were
still unable to feel the benefits of improving economic conditions.
"I am convinced we must put the spurs to our efforts to adequately and
effectively implement our financial spending in a timely manner to help stimulate
the economy and improve conditions for everyday citizens at the earliest possible
date," he told the meeting.
Wednesday's meeting was the second of seven sessions scheduled for all government
ministries and agencies before the end of the year.
Government reports of the upcoming year's objectives began at the beginning of a
new year under previous administrations, 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 budgets from the onset of the new year.
Despite earlier forecasts of an up to 5 percent contraction, the South Korean
economy is expected to record positive growth this year while the Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development predicts it will grow 4.4 percent in
2010.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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