Good morning, fellow Koreans,

I am now staying in Brussels, Belgium to attend the 8th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit and the Korea-EU Summit. The ASEM Summit this time is being attended by leaders from 46 countries in all, including 27 from the EU, 16 from Asia and new members Russia, Australia and New Zealand.

Importantly, Korea has assumed the role of a coordinator representing countries from Northeast and South Asia for this summit. Twelve ASEM member nations are also G20 members. I will have both official and unofficial meetings with leaders of many other countries for the sake of the success of the G20 Seoul Summit, which is just a month away.

We are striving to enlist the cooperation of member countries on those agenda items in which we need to take the initiative, including development issues aimed at reducing the development gap among countries, the establishment of global financial safety nets and reform of international financial institutions. As one of the chairs of the G20, Korea needs to take this opportunity to secure more extensive collaboration and support even from non-G20 member nations.

On October 6, the Republic of Korea and the 27 EU member countries will officially sign the Korea-EU FTA. By doing so, we will be able to open the door wide to the largest market in the world. Making the best of this newly emerging opportunity in the European market will certainly go a long way toward creating more jobs.

Today, I would like to speak with you about the government budget proposal for fiscal year 2011. The core of next year’s budget lies in bringing more hope to mid- and low-income families.

First, the state responsibilities for childcare have been dramatically enhanced. The Government will shoulder institutional child-care expenses in full for all children, except those from a small group of wealthy households. The childcare allowance for low-income families has been increased to the maximum of 200,000 won. These measures will benefit about 70 percent of all families with young children. At the same time, childcare quality will be continuously improved.

Second, the Government envisions giving full scholarships, covering the admission fee and tuition, to students at vocational high schools, thus relieving their worries about school expenses. The educational environment will be improved so that these schools will grow into select vocational education and training institutions. Industry-academic collaboration, like that for Meister high schools, will be further bolstered, thus enabling students to land jobs as soon as they receive diplomas and allowing businesses to recruit quality technical professionals.   

Third, the Government will pay the whole nursery school fee for all children from multicultural families regardless of their parents’ income. Many parents and children from multicultural families find it challenging to teach and learn Korean. To give equal educational opportunities to children from multicultural families, who are also members of our society, the Government will shoulder the expenses needed to learn Korean.

These budget plans were not determined from the single perspective of welfare. Childcare support is no other than a countermeasure to the low birth rate. This support will enable women to engage in economic activities on a level playing field, thus making contributions to the enhancement of the nation’s competitiveness. It will also provide women with opportunities to realize their full potential. 

The proposed support for vocational high schools involves enhancing education and employment while helping solve the imbalance between supply and demand in the labor market. Next year’s budget is committed to giving hope to low-income families, particularly in the three areas mentioned above.

As the rate of the welfare budget increases, some people are voicing concern about fiscal soundness. My conviction in the matter is clear. That is that the citizens who have been lagging behind should be given an opportunity to stand on their own feet. The focus is on helping them achieve self-sufficiency. The plan also provides that the people who are in greatest need will be helped first.

The Government is well aware that the budget should be executed with a sound fiscal plan as a precondition. Next year’s budget was formulated keeping the state revenues and debts in mind. It is not easy to establish a budget that can affect all citizens favorably while keeping to principles.

In the old days, people used pumps installed at home to draw potable water from underground. When the water did not come up despite pumping, they poured some water in the mouth of pump in order to make it work properly. The government budget is like the water put to the mouth of the pump initially.

I only hope that next year’s government budget will act as the pump priming water, helping raise the hopes of low- and middle-income families and advancing the realization of a fair society in our country.

As the fall season progresses, night temperatures have gone down substantially. Take good care of yourselves. Until I return home, I wish you well.

Thank you very much.