President Lee Myung-bak presided over a meeting with senior secretaries today. At the meeting, the President asked the participants to work out thorough countermeasures to prevent any confusion and to minimize any further impact on domestic investors in connection with the recent financial shock from the United States. He also instructed them to grasp the developments accurately and inform the public of the situation in a transparent manner.

In this regard, President Lee said, “It is impossible for me, as President, to make direct investment myself, but I would like to invest in one of the indirect investment funds.”

He went on to say, “International oil prices, the cause of increase in consumer prices, dropped more than 20 percent this month. Necessary steps should be taken to have the lower prices translated into reductions in the price of gas at gas stations at the earliest possible date, so that it will be felt by ordinary citizens.”