President Lee Myung-bak said Thursday (Apr. 30) that the world faces the need to conserve the environment when pushing ahead with economic development plans, and stressed that green growth is not a matter of choice, but a must.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the launch of a women''s movement called G-Korea, led by the Ministry of Gender Equality to promote environmentally friendly ways of living and job creation for women, President Lee also said that Korea will invest more in developing green technologies.

This is the sector that will pull the country out of the global economic crisis, while preparing it for what he called a different kind of international competition in the future.

"Green growth" is defined as achieving sustainable economic growth by developing low-carbon, eco-friendly industries.

Since his inauguration in February 2008, President Lee has stressed that eco-friendly economic growth is at the top of the government agenda.

President Lee encouraged the 1,200 women present at the launch to spread a green lifestyle by taking the lead as consumers in helping the country conserve energy and become more environmentally friendly.

G-Korea is a nationwide campaign that aims to achieve the “three Gs" of Green Life, Getting Jobs, and Giving Hope.