President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday (Jan. 6) said that early budget execution in 2009, targeting a fast economic recovery, should be accompanied by collaboration among central government offices and local authorities.

The President said this at the year''s first Cabinet meeting held at Cheong Wa Dae. If the early budget spending is matched by cooperation among government offices, a synergy effect will be created. Otherwise, chances of overlapping and low efficiency are high, Lee said.

As to the government''s current efforts to stimulate the economy, Lee called for the central government to take full control of the performances of provincial government offices. "There should be education regarding a civil servants'' code of conduct for [economic] emergency situations [...] If [all staff] do not share the challenge, work performance will drastically plummet. Each ministry is advised to provide education for all its workers, including those out in front."

At the meeting, the so-called "Green New Deal" scheme, follow-up tasks for President Lee''s New Year policy address and plans to improve Cabinet meetings were reported to the President.

The meeting also approved law bills on higher education, public educational staff employment and budget share between Korea and the United States regarding the costs of United States Forces Korea from 2009 to 2013, among others.