By Michael Ha
Staff Reporter
Lee Dong-kurn, 72, who took office as the president of Rotary International on July 1, said he has picked childhood mortality as the top area of focus for his term.
``Around the world, 26,000 children die everyday, and many of these deaths can be prevented," he said in an interview with The Korea Times Thursday.
He said his organization would focus on countries in Africa and Southeast Asia and assist in programs to help reduce childhood mortality in those regions.
``Our goal is to save the lives of children. We will turn the dreams of a safe and happy childhood, a childhood that turns into a long and healthy life, into a reality," Lee said.
Rotary International is a volunteer service organization with more than 1.2 million members worldwide. Founded in the Untied States in 1905, it is a worldwide organization of business executives who help provide humanitarian services. Lee, a life-long member of the organization, is the first Korean to take the top post in its 103-year history.
He said Korea is one of the most prominent member countries for Rotary International, with more than 56,000 active Korean members. The organization has members in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.
``South Korea has one of the most active Rotary memberships in the world. We have the fourth largest membership in the world behind the United States, Japan and India," Lee said.
``Also, in terms of raising funds, Korea is ranked third behind the United States and Japan. Every year, Korean members raise millions of dollars for the organization's charitable work," he said.
The group's representatives from around the world vote for the worldwide president on a yearly basis. Lee said, ``It's a pleasure and an honor to be the first Korean president for Rotary International."
He first joined a Korean chapter of Rotary back in 1971. During his membership, he served as board director and a foundation trustee for Rotary International. He also served as chairman of the group's ``polio eradication private sector initiative" in Korea. Lee is the chief executive officer of Bubang, a major manufacturing company.
Lee has also been taking part in the group's global effort to eradicate polio. He has traveled to Africa and South Asia, helping to lead the effort to immunize children against the disease.
He said he will also encourage Rotary clubs around the world to partner with their local governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to help improve literacy rates and provide clean water to communities in developing countries.