Lee Seeks to Represent Asian Voices at UN
By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak is expected to propose global initiatives next week to promote "green growth" and free trade as part of efforts to achieve sustainable economic growth, sources said Thursday.
During his trip to New York and Pittsburg from Sept. 20 to 26, Lee will visit the U.N. headquarters in New York for the first time since his inauguration in February last year to deliver a speech at a conference there.
"The speech is about Korea's efforts to tide over the economic crisis through aggressive fiscal spending on environmentally friendly projects, including the one aimed at refurbishing four major rivers," a source from Cheong Wa Dae said.
"He will also propose measures to develop clean sources of energy and reduce carbon emissions through stronger policy coordination between advanced and emerging countries," the source said on condition of anonymity.
During his planned meeting with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Monday, the President will introduce Korea's programs to help poor countries build infrastructure, and increase its donations to global organizations, he said.
The U.N. will post a video file showing Lee giving a lecture on green growth on its Web site to help its members share Korea's policies.
North Korea's nuclear program will also top the agenda of Lee's meetings with global leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama.
A Cheong Wa Dae official said Lee will hold his first summit with new Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama next Wednesday on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.
President Lee is expected to call for strong alliance between Korea and the U.S. and Japan to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions under the framework of the six-nation denuclearization talks, officials said.
Cheong Wa Dae hopes the speech at the U.N. conference will be a crucial opportunity for Lee to emerge as a global leader representing the interests of Asia and developing economies.
It will also help him strengthen his image as an environmentalist, the office said.
The country plans to spend a total of 16.9 trillion won ($13.5 billion) until Lee's term ends in early 2013 to enhance the water quality and supply system of four rivers.
The plan calls for large-scale dredging of river beds, and the construction of small dams, catchment basins and reservoirs that can store up to 1.3 billion cubic meters of fresh water.
While serving as Seoul mayor, Lee led a project to restore Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul. It has now become a major tourist attraction and a resting place for office workers.
"Lee will share his vision of green growth and free trade with other leaders to foster stronger economic ties and open a new era of common prosperity," a presidential spokesman said. "The U.S. trip provides us with an important opportunity to chart out new plans for common growth. We need to increase cooperation in three areas ― investment and trade, culture and tourism and green growth ― to brace for the changing global economic paradigm."
President Lee will fly to Pittsburg Thursday to participate in the two-day G20 summit.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Lee plans to hold a string of bilateral summits to promote cooperation in green growth and address North Korea's nuclear threats.