Good morning, fellow Koreans,

I returned home the day before yesterday from a 10-day African tour that took me to the Republic of South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Immediately after I returned home, I stopped by the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters and checked on flood damage. This year''s monsoon rains have been way heavier than usual and caused great anxiety across the country. I hope this rainy season will be over soon.

In Durban, South Africa, we finally won the bid for the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. I believe it is a victory for the people of PyeongChang and Gangwon Province and, at the same time, a victory for all Koreans. I am very grateful to you all. My special appreciation goes to everyone who worked so hard during the bidding process.

The Winter Olympics will serve as a good opportunity for Korea to continue its sustained economic growth and to become a leading, advanced nation. We must now come up with plans on how to successfully host the Winter Olympics and how to utilize the facilities after the event. Only then will the PyeongChang Winter Olympics become a true success.

Just as we all united as one to win the bid, we should come together to pool our wisdom and strength for the success of the Games. In addition, we should not regard the Winter Olympics simply as another sporting event. We should make efforts to make it the economic Olympics, cultural Olympics and environmental Olympics.

During the bidding process, Korea received immense help from many Asian countries, including China and Japan, which in fact did not vote in favor of PyeongChang in the previous bids. They stood together as one in supporting Korea’s bid this time.

On the day following the announcement, I headed for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the next destination on my scheduled trip. The African tour this time was a long journey of approximately 6,500 km.

Africa is no longer a backwater continent plagued by poverty and civil war. With a population of over a billion and abundant resources, this colossal continent is set to take off. Since 2000, six of the 10 nations that registered the highest economic growth in the world were African countries. According to an IMF projection, Africa’s economic growth rate is expected to surpass that of Asia by 2015.

In about 10 years, Africa is forecast to generate huge demand through its high-flying growth and serve as a driving force for the steady growth of the world economy in the 21st century. While traveling in African countries, I could see their enormous potential for myself. In a decade, Africa will be completely transformed from what it was in the past. Now is the time for us to renew our understanding of the Africa of today and brace ourselves for the Africa of tomorrow.

The Republic of Korea declared this year as the first year for strengthening cooperation with Africa. Even though we are behind China and other advanced countries in working together with Africa, we intend to take a different path than they did.

When I met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles, he noted that advanced nations did not understand the humiliation developing nations feel while asking for assistance. However, we know how they feel, and so our nation tries to give a helping hand with utmost humility. In addition, our top priority is placed on bolstering developing nations’ capabilities to stand on their own feet. And this is why on the subject of the Seoul Development Consensus for Shared Growth, which was adopted by the G20 Seoul Summit last year, Prime Minister Meles said that the Consensus is an African consensus.

The goal of my African tour this time was to help cooperation with African nations go into full swing. African countries have a very strong will to develop their economies. The case in point is Ethiopia.

Before I delivered a speech to the student body of Addis Ababa University, the Prime Minister requested that I share my life story, which was particularly well received by many young students in the auditorium. All Ethiopians, including the Prime Minister and the college students, have a strong passion for and commitment to economic development.

Right before my departure, a seminar on the Development Agenda was held with the Prime Minister and all the cabinet members of Ethiopia in attendance. Wrapping up the seminar, they announced Ethiopia’s Five-Year Economic Development Plan.

I trust that Ethiopia will soon emerge as a successful role model for many African countries.

I had a particularly memorable time in Ethiopia, doing volunteer work in a region where people were suffering from absolute poverty. Without actually seeing the region, which is in the grip of absolute poverty and lacks welfare benefits, it hardly makes any sense for anyone to state that they have seen Africa. To see the true picture of Africa, meetings with African heads of state are important. Still, immersing oneself in the everyday lives of the people is as invaluable as such summit meetings.

The motive behind my volunteer work this time was the recommendation of the former chairman of Microsoft Bill Gates. When I met him in Davos, Switzerland, in January last year, he recommended that I engage in some true volunteer work in Africa. Noting that almost all heads of state want to travel to nations with rich resources, he emphasized that they needed to make a visit to countries that lack resources and are striving to promote economic progress.

He went on to say that it might not be easy for a head of state to do such things. Saying that he knew that I have an understanding of such activities and good intentions as well, he added that he hoped that I would be able to reach out to people suffering from absolute poverty and serve them. 

Mr. Gates said that his wife and he had just spent the previous two weeks doing volunteer work in Ethiopia’s poverty-stricken areas. On the first day of my volunteer service, I went to a dilapidated urban district. We sprayed disinfectant and also played a game of soccer with the children there.

The next day, our group went to a destitute farming village. We helped build a community hall and public restroom while providing health care to the villagers. Through the volunteer work, I gained a lot more than I gave.

Fellow citizens,

I witnessed a new aspect of Korea in Ethiopia.

I was surprised to learn that so many Koreans are engaged in volunteer work in so many remote corners of the world. They were admired more than any volunteers from other countries, enhancing Korea’s image. I was deeply impressed to see eye doctor Yoon Sang-chul do eye surgery for poor people free of charge. There were also retired Korean auto mechanics and electricians who were helping African people using their expertise and experience. They said, “Doing volunteer work here, I regained the motivation for life and at the same time feel much younger. I hope more retired people have opportunities to serve other people.”

There were many young volunteers from Korea as well. Cho Mi-jin, a member of KOICA volunteers dispatched to Ethiopia, said, “As I witnessed poverty here, I came to have deep appreciation for what our parent’s generation has done.” Young members of Korea’s G20 Generation work in the globalized world and tend to think about the world from a global perspective. Because of the G20 Generation, our hopes for a greater Korea grow more and more, and Korea’s future as an advanced, leading country is becoming brighter.

During my return flight, I reflected on my African tour. And I thought deeply about ways to realize the common prosperity of Korea and the entire African continent.

Fellow citizens,

Heavy rains are expected to continue for some time. I urge you take safety precautions and take good care of yourselves.

Thank you very much.