 Members of traditional Korean musical troupes rehearse in front of the National Assembly’s main building, Sunday, one day before the inauguration of President Lee Myung-bak. Lee will be sworn in as the new President (17th term-wise) under the slogan of the market economy and pragmatism. His predecessor Roh Moo-hyun returns to his hometown in Pongha Village, Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, after ending his five-year tenure. / Korea Times |
President to Outline Policy Goals During Inauguration Today
By Yoon Won-sup, Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporters
Lee Myung-bak , who will be sworn in as 17th-term President of Korea today, said Pyongyang does not need to worry over government changes in South Korea as he is fully aware of the need for peace-building and reconciliation on the peninsula.
Lee made the remarks in a meeting with former Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong Saturday and in an interview with News Week magazine Sunday.
So far, North Korea has not made any specific comment on President Lee. But advocates of the Sunshine Policy of engaging with North Korea are worried the inter-Korean relations will be soured following the launch of the conservative administration.
In an interview with Newsweek, he said that South and North Korea ``cannot seek joint prosperity and unification if the North keeps its nuclear weapons.''
The self-proclaimed pragmatist will outline five goals for his five-year administration based on the market economy and pragmatic ideas, in his inaugural speech.
Those goals are revitalization of the market economy, the development of human resources, national globalization, a comprehensive welfare policy and establishing a government to humbly serve the people.
He will also unveil his plan to achieve a high-level of economic growth in order to become an advanced nation using a pragmatic approach, which will ally both conservative and progressive groups.
In an interview with Newsweek magazine Sunday, Lee said that he will not hold an inter-Korean summit just for the summit's sake or domestic political reasons.
Though he will not shut down the Gaeseong Industrial Complex in North Korea, he made clear that the complex will not be expanded if North Korea fails to make progress on denuclearization.
``If North Korea possesses nuclear weapons, we can't seek unification (with North Korea),'' Lee said.
Following an hour-long event prior to his inauguration that will begin at the National Assembly at 10 a.m., the ceremony will proceed with the playing of the national anthem, the inaugural oath, a performance by a military band and an inspection of a guard of honor, gun salutes and an inaugural address.
After delivering a 30-minute speech, Lee will exchange greetings with guests from abroad and home and bid a farewell to outgoing President Roh Moo-hyun.
Lee, who will start business at Cheong Wa Dae at 1 p.m., will hold a series of meetings with visiting foreign heads of state and others.
About 200 distinguished foreign guests, along with 25,000 others, will attend the ceremony. They include Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, Uzbek President Islam Karimov, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Mongolian President Nambaryn.
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will lead a U.S. delegation while Chinese State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan will represent China. Russian Prime Minister Victor Zubkov will also attend the ceremony as a top delegate.
In his first summit with Fukuda, Lee is expected to resume the suspended shuttle diplomacy and negotiation of a free trade agreement (FTA) with Japan, an aide to Lee said. Fukuda already expressed his opinion on these issues before arriving in Seoul.
Top on the agenda at a meeting with Rice will be the ratification of the Seoul-Washington FTA, the stalled six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions and Lee's visit to the United States in April, according to the aide.
In his talks with Chinese State Councillor Tang, Lee will discuss the nuclear issue, the Beijing Olympics in August and the expansion of economic relations.
At his meeting with the Russian prime minister talks will include cooperation in energy and natural resources development, the aide said.
yoonwonsup@koreatimes.co.kr
hkang@koreatimes.co.kr
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