Pres. Lee Pledges to Listen to the People

President Lee Myung-bak yesterday pledged to “listen to the voice of the people with an even more humble attitude and heed their wishes more proactively.”

In a statement read by Public Administration and Security Minister Won Sei-hoon at a ceremony commemorating the 1987 democratic movement at Seoul Press Center, Lee said, “The nation joined forces to firmly uphold democracy in the country, standing up against the authoritarian government 21 years ago.”

Urging to “sublimate the spirit and passion of the 1987 democratic struggle into a prime mover making Korea a leading and advanced nation,” the president urged the people to “go beyond the era of confrontational ideologies and usher in an era of advancement based on unity and mutual respect.”

“To meet this end, we need to change existing practices and legal system as well as institutions to meet the standards of an era of advancement,” he said.

Inflation stemming from the soaring prices of oil, grain and raw materials and aggravating business conditions are posing daunting challenges for the Korean economy, President Lee added, saying, “All economic entities in the nation must renew their determination to cope with the crisis before it is too late.”

swpark@donga.com