President Lee Myung-bak called on the citizens to join hands to overcome the current economic crisis. President Lee said this during a 90-minute nationally-televised roundtable talk hosted by SBS TV on Jan. 30 with the approach of his first inauguration anniversary on Feb. 25.

Roundtable panelists discussed how the President should exercise leadership in creating an investment-friendly environment by lifting various regulations and improving the labor-management relations and how he should listen to the citizens'' desires by giving equal opportunities to those who have failed to achieve success despite painstaking efforts.

First of all, the President expressed his deep sympathy to those whose sons and daughters have not found jobs or whose husbands have lost jobs, and those who have difficulty making both ends meet. He then asked the citizens to collect their courage to cope with the current economic difficulties, adding that the government will be more determined to overcome the difficulties. As a hopeful indicator, he cited foreign economic institutions'' predictions that Korea will improve its economy fastest among the countries in the world next year.

The President said Korea''s economy will improve remarkably next year, regardless of foreign economic institutions'' speculations. He added, "History proves that the Koreans are a great people." The country emerged as one of the world''s largest economies from the ashes of the Korean War despite lack of resources or funds, he recalled.

The President asked the citizens to collect their courage to cope with the current situation and share jobs among themselves. To cite an example, he said, "I''ve heard that the labor and management at the Korea National Housing Corporation have agreed to cut a welfare budget of 4 billion won (US$1=W1,379.50) for its about 7,000 staff to create jobs for about 1,000 housewives living in leased apartments."

He went on to say, "The government is, of course, trying to overcome the current [economic] crisis. It will also make sufficient preparations for the future. Opportunities for the future don''t come by accident, but will come to those who have made them." He then promised that the government will prepare to make such opportunities.

He urged the citizens to trust the government so that it can work hard. He asked the politicians not to take to the streets during the worldwide financial crisis, but to hold dialogue to produce tangible results. Citing the urgent need to overcome the economic crisis, he reminded the citizens that the government has already begun spending its budget for this year about three months earlier than in previous years.

He then called on the citizens to join hands to cope with the current economic crisis, while asking religious organizations and the privileged to share what they have with the destitute and underprivileged to give them hope and courage.

He concluded his remarks by saying, "I myself will take the initiative to overcome the current crisis."