President Lee Myung-bak has pledged to put the government in emergency mode for economic revival and take care of people''s livelihood.

President Lee said this when he delivered his New Year''s message telecast live across the country on the morning of Jan. 2. In the message, he set forth four basic policies: to put the government in emergency mode for economic revival; to take care of people''s livelihood; to carry out reform measures consistently to join the group of advanced nations; and to make preparations for green growth and the future.

President Lee stressed, first of all, the need to build a total management system to overcome the economic crisis as early as possible with hope and courage. He then pledged to put his administration in emergency mode for economic revival in 2009, while keeping implementing reform policies as well.

He said, "Above anything else, it''s necessary to help money circulate in the market. The government will approve more than 20 trillion won (US$1=W1,328) support for banks and take all measures possible to help them lend money to enterprises and households without a hitch."

Concerning the government''s support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), he said, "The government will increase the capital of the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund and the Kibo Technology Fund to expand support for the SMEs by more than 11 trillion won."

President Lee also touched on the job creation policy, saying, "Nothing is more important in economic management than creating jobs." The government will give proactive support to the SMEs in creating and maintaining jobs, he added.

He clarified his policy to focus on people''s livelihood by saying, "The government will do its best to take care of people''s livelihood and make sure that the quality of the low-income earners'' life is not jeopardized."

He went on to say, "The government will also do its best to ensure that households and SMEs are relieved of a heavy burden of interest payments and illegal debt collection practices are stopped. It will provide tax benefit amounting to up to 1.2 million won per year for each low-income worker."

He said he will make sure that there are no students who cannot continue studies because of poverty, while promising to further expand tuition fee support for college students from low-income families this year. He added he will ensure that nor are there any children who skip meals.

The President also made clear his intention to reform society. He said, "The government will carry through deregulation, advancement of public corporations, and education reform, which it has carried out since its inauguration, under any circumstances." He especially reiterated the importance of reforming the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation and the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives.

With regard to education reform, the President said, "The government will make sure that all people are given equal opportunities in education and schools are functioning with full autonomy and creativity. It will give priority to introducing e-learning into schools in farming and fishing areas and build 150 public boarding high schools in rural and small cities." The government will build 50 "meister" (polytechnic) high schools across the nation this year, he added.

As for the preparations for the future, he said, "The government will create new growth engines in three sectors -- green technology industry, state-of-the-art fusion industry, and high value-added service industry. While implementing green new deal policies in earnest, it will establish a presidential green growth commission and enact a basic law on green growth."

Commenting on the restoration and improvement of four major rivers across the country, he said, "It''ll be possible to create 280,000 new jobs if we implement multipurpose projects by preserving the environment, storing a sufficient quantity of water, and promoting the tourism and leisure industry" in and around the four rivers. "The government will help an eco-culture take root there by turning those areas into eco-parks," he said.

Turning to the government''s North Korea policy, he called on Pyeongyang to understand the tendency of the times now and move toward a new future shoulder to shoulder with Seoul. He added, "We''re ready to have dialogue and cooperate anytime with North Korea as our partner. I hope that North Korea will no longer ignore our sincerity, but give up its old practice of instigating a south-south conflict and show a cooperative attitude."

In conclusion, the President said, "Great people have created a ''history of miracles'' by overcoming myriads of hardships. Let''s make 2009 go down in history as a year when the Republic of Korea has turned a crisis into an opportunity and laid the foundation for becoming an advanced nation!"