Lee Wants to Meet N. Korean Leader in Seoul

President-elect Lee Myung-bak said Monday that he is willing to hold summit talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il anytime, if such a meeting is helpful for the denuclearization of the communist state.

"Leaders of the two Koreas can meet anytime if it would be helpful to the denuclearization of North Korea. But the next summit has to take place in Seoul," said Lee in his New Year's news conference.

Outgoing President Roh Moo-hyun and Kim held the second-ever inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang last October and adopted a 10-point joint declaration calling for closer inter-Korean economic cooperation.

In the first inter-Korean summit between Roh's predecessor, Kim Dae-jung, and Kim Jong-il in the North Korean capital in 2000, the North Korean leader pledged to make a return visit to Seoul at an appropriate time, but has yet to keep the promise.

Asked if his incoming administration is willing to abide by the latest inter-Korean cooperation agreements signed between Roh and Kim, Lee vowed to conduct a thorough review of the accords.

"October's inter-Korean summit agreements were those sealed in principle. My new government will study the implementation of the agreements from the perspective of feasibility, fiscal burdens on the people and the national consensus," said Lee.

Lee then stressed that a closer alliance between South Korea and the U.S. would help improve relations between North Korea and the U.S.

Lee also called for the public and the legislature to support his plan to trim down government bodies in a drive for a "slim and efficient" government.

"The Lee Myung-bak government will open a new era in a slimmer body.I ask for support from citizens and the National Assembly on the critical plan to rid the government of flab by boldly merging overlapping functions, and privatizing and regionalizing public sectors," he said.

Lee vows to reduce government spending by up to 10 percent through bureaucratic reforms that include freezing the number of public officials and consolidating government institutions.

The incumbent Roh Moo-hyun administration has often been accused of increasing the size of government while downsizing the private sector and demanding greater efficiency from it.

The number of government officials has increased by 56,000 and that of government committees by 52 during Roh's five-year term, with wages of public officials increasing by 50 percent. Roh's government has 56 ministries and agencies as well as 416 committees.

Lee also emphasized a desire to cut economic regulations toinduce more investments.

"I will also concentrate on loosening restrictions that block active investment, a critical move in revitalizing the economy," Lee said. "I will steadily expand growth power and avoid

irrational reflationary measures."

ee, a former chief executive officer of Hyundai Construction and Engineering, pledges to follow a pragmatic path in reinvigorating South Korea's sluggish economy, and is especially

keen on wooing foreign investment by easing regulations and expanding incentives.

Lee also called for labor-management cooperation, saying "Companies must strive to enhance competitiveness through transparent management and employees must strive to enhance productivity."