Lee Seeks to Lower Mobile Phone Rates and Oil Prices

President-elect Lee Myung-bak has decided to give top priority to improving the living standards of the middle class citizens. Lee said he will cut oil-related taxes by 10 percent and lower mobile phone charges in line with the new administration’s plan to reduce the living costs of the working class by some 30 percent.

Lee will consult with the incumbent government to find ways to give shape to his policy even before he takes the oath of office in February next year.

The CEO-turned politician also chose the development of an advanced state debt management system as a key agenda point, pointing out Korea’s worsening fiscal condition. The country’s national debt surpassed the 300 trillion won-mark as of the end of 2007.

Lee Dong-kwan, the spokesman of the presidential transition team, said on Sunday that those decisions were made during the first workshop of the presidential transition committee, which was held on Saturday in downtown Seoul.

“As improving the poor living conditions of the working-class people is the foremost task the new government is confronting, we will make efforts to lower oil taxes by 10 percent and to cut mobile-phone call rates as soon as possible,” Lee told reporters at a briefing.

President Lee’s campaign promises include the reduction of the special consumption tax on kerosene and transportation taxes on gasoline and diesel; the elimination of the special consumption tax on LPG for taxis; the reduction of spending on phone services by 20 percent; and the reduction of living costs by 30 percent.

ddr@donga.com