By Na Jeong-ju
Korea and Denmark agreed Wednesday to strengthen collaboration on green growth and climate change, saying the recent energy crisis represents a shift of the economic paradigm toward the low-carbon growth.
After arriving in Denmark on his three-nation European tour, President Lee Myung-bak attended the opening ceremony of the Danish branch of the Global Green Growth Institute, an international think tank that Seoul set up last year to study green growth strategies and policies.
Lee and Danish Prime Minister Lars Rasmussen will adopt a joint declaration on green growth at their summit today.
Denmark is known as a global leader in environment-friendly technologies and Lee’s visit is focused on green growth. One of the President’s trademark policies calls for economic growth by promoting environment-friendly technologies and industries.
His green growth plan calls for lessening the country’s dependence on fossil fuels and promoting the development of substitute energy sources, such as solar and wind power, and other technologies enhancing energy efficiency.
This strategy, Lee believes, will also help the country reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases amid growing calls to curb global warming.
Earlier in Germany, he called for greater cooperation between the two countries in the green growth sector, saying the industry is where the world economy can grow in a sustainable manner.
“Low-carbon, green growth is an important task for mankind to move forward,” Lee said.
He called for German firms to expand investment in South Korea, saying the country can serve as a stepping stone to other foreign markets as Seoul has a network of free trade agreements.
Lee made the appeal at a roundtable meeting with major German CEOs, including Michael Suess of the engineering firm Siemens, Armin Keller of automaker Volkswagen, Paul Barlow Stewart of the pharmaceutical firm Boehringer Ingelheim, and Wolfgang Niedermark of the chemical firm BASF.
“I believe it would be a big help for German firms if they understand that investment in South Korea will serve as a bridgehead in their expansion not only to Asian markets, but also to the U.S.,” Lee told the business leaders, apparently referring to a Korea-U.S. free trade deal expected to take effect this year.
Later today, Lee will head to Paris for a summit with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The two leaders are expected to focus discussions on ways to expand trade and investment and increase cooperation in the framework of the Group of 20.
South Korea hosted the G20 summit in November last year and Paris is scheduled to host this year's meeting.