Glowing Hope for New Year

President Roh, cabinet ministers promise improved livelihood for all people

President Roh Moo-hyun said during his New Year's message that all of us should look far ahead and think deeply to engage in dialogue with an open mind. He also called on the people in his message to the nation that a democratic society should be created where people take responsibility together for decisions made under democratic procedures. Only then will confidence among people grow, leading to their unification as one with bright future ahead.
The nation's Chief Executive said the livelihood of the people has yet to improve, although the financial crisis and its after effects have been cured and the government will do all it can in the new year to improve the economic situation for the people. "All of us should pitch in together to prepare future strategies with open and creative thoughts, because it is difficult to have an optimistic view 20 to 30 years down the road,"he said.
Korea is a dynamic country making a great progress in the past 30 years and the speed of change would continue for the time being. We have achieved all that we wanted to achieve, he said, calling on the people to march ahead with confidence and hope.

Prime Minister

Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan said last year has been a difficult year, but we have laid the foundation for our next economic flight as we were able to turn the economy around without taking short-term recovery measures. We resolved various national policy objectives including the plan for the construction of a new administrative city. The six party talks on North Korea's nuclear program were reopened, invigorating inter-Korea exchanges. We have been able to boost our national image through the APEC Summit 2005 in Busan.
The government will make this New Year, the one for realization and management. We plan to open the age of $300 billion in annual exports by managing the economy, which is on the verge of take-off and its warmth, would spread to every corner in the country, the prime minister said.
The government will do all it can to make sure that the construction of the new administrative city and the relocation of government agencies and their affiliates would go smoothly without a hitch, Lee said.
He went on to say that he will try to close the gap between the rich and poor and take on the problems associated with low birth rates and aging society so that the fruits of growth would be shared equally and the people would be able to plan a better tomorrow amid a stable life. In 2008, per capita income would reach $20,000 and GDP $1 trillion to make Korea, an economic powerhouse, achieving the distribution through growth and growth through distribution.

Deputy Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said this year would be the year for a strong economic performance, putting behind all those sluggish aspects in the economy. The first two years had been a period for setting up the groundwork for reform and change for the participatory government led by President Roh and last year, the base for economic resurgence was laid, along with building a system for the path to become an advanced economy. Han, who also is the minister for finance and economy, said the economy has turned the corner, putting behind its slump, owing to efforts that went into making it to rebound. A framework for the economy to be an advanced one is being readied thanks to a hard work for restructuring, building a base for an advanced trading country, and financial reform that tackled various problems associated with the real estate market, and credit defaulters.
But this year is not going to be a smooth ride for the economy due to a number of factors including high oil prices, the exchange rate, changes in housing markets in major countries and the high economic growth of China, among others. Domestic economy has been rebounding, but the difficulties for low-income families and small business operators still remain. Worried voices point out weakening of our growth potential due to the shortfall in corporate investment and the aging society and furthermore, the gap among income brackets, industries, and corporations have not been closing due to hard competition and market opening. Given the situation as such, it is going to be a crucial year for the participatory government led by President Roh, which is in the second half of its five-year tenure. We have to solidify the base of economic recovery that is beginning to emerge from last year and our policy focus should be switched to expanding our growth potential and other structural matters based on the recovery signs so that the policies pursued by the participatory government would have visibly successful results.
Under the premise, the government named its economic management target as "The Recovery of Economic Vitality and Building of the Base for Sustainable Growth,'
Construction and Transportation Minister
Construction and Transportation Minister Chu Byung-jik said the participatory government of President Roh has accomplished a lot during its three years of rule, dedicated to unifying the nation and making Korea an advanced nation. In its first year of governing, the government prepared the road map to make Korea an economic hub in Northeast Asia and balanced development of the country by developing new growth engines, solving gaps between regions and rich and poor income brackets. In 2004, the government laws and systems to form a promotional organization to push its programs. In 2005, the government worked hard to realize its objectives one by one with visible effects. Minister Chu said the MOCT has done a lot in pushing key national tasks during the first three years of rule, especially last year.
First, the ministry has accomplished much in promoting the plan for the administrative city. We turned the crisis into an opportunity. We had a crisis on our hands in October, 2003, when the Constitutional Court ruled that the New Capital City Special Law was unconstitutional. But we were able to turn the crisis into an opportunity by solidifying the people's attention and support for the new capital and thus creating a base for stronger push for the development of the project. There were pessimistic views for the new administrative city and the relocation of government-owned corporations to the new city. But we were able to continue to promote the project through persuasion and dialogue with those concerned and successfully designated the site for the projected city, although many said they were impossible projects. Model projects are being conducted for six corporate cities the ministry had planned originally.

Culture-Tourism Minister

The launch of the construction of the projected National Asia Culture Hall in Gwangju showed that the plan to make the regional city a cultural hub in Asia is on track in three years since President Roh pledged to build it to lead a creative Korea in the 21st century. Minister Chung Dong-chea said the ministry will also plan to lead the training of manpower, and the development of contents and programs. The project has its share of problems with some politicians and civic groups demanding alteration of the design of the projected hall in the absence of an outstanding design. The ministry will try to persuade those opposed to the design through dialogue, with the participation of residents and their cooperation. The design of the arts center was submitted by Woo Kyu-sung, an architect of Korean descent who lives in the United States and selected by the screening committee whose members included a French architect who designed the Pompidou Center in Paris.

Information and Communication Minister

Minister Chin Dae-je said in his new year message that as shown by Korea being named the top country in the Digital Opportunity Index announced by the World Social Information Summit prepared by the United Nations, our country's information and communication technology is tops in the world. This, the minister, said means that IT should raise the level of productivity of the country and society to the world level and be a locomotive powering the growth of our economy. Under the premise, he said, he would like to focus first on the information area, spurring the realization of a u-Korea base to boost the effectiveness of the Korean economy and social systems through u-City, u-Defense and u-Security. He will also try to push the construction of infrastructure conducive to the ubiquitous environment. He will also lead the ministry to work on further development of the IT infrastructure, along with the vitalization of the new industry to invigorate the economy, thus creating jobs. nw

President
Roh Moo-hyun