|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
Been There, Taught That
Joined: 10 Apr 2007
Location: Mungyeong: not a village, not yet a metroplex.
|
 Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 11:25 am Post subject: Lee Myung-Bak and SK, as analyzed by the AP |
 |
|
http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080224/BUSINESS01/802240330
| Out of the boardroom: Incoming president has bold vision for South Korea's economy wrote: |
Under his "Economy, First!" motto, Lee has vowed to push economic growth to 7 percent annually, and over a decade double per capita income to $40,000 and make South Korea the world's seventh-largest economy, up from 12th now. Highlighting the key numbers in each of these goals, he has called this his "747" pledge.
To make that happen, he has promised to shake up the country by slashing regulations, reorganizing government, pursuing more free trade agreements and revamping education to introduce more competitionI can't tell if this includes 'also' or 'only' or 'everything but' ESL education. |
Good article, as factually revealing as any other foreign news source, I guess.
My first reaction was, okay, we get that the new president will be unabashedly courting the business community. I think the reason this seems such a standout characteristic in this article is that for the last eight years, George W. Bush has been criticized and hounded for making exactly the same attempts to use the government to jumpstart the business world, and vice versa. One thing I admire about the SK government, whatever other faults I may find, is its realization that business and government can complement and feed off each other. In any case, as it says here, the economy is coming off a five percent growth success in the last year (whatever that really means).
The difference is that I think a small country like SK had better use its government to court big business, because that's where the money to run it is coming from. But the Bulldozer seems, especially to the South Korean Everyman, to be of a different and more hopeful stock than his predecessor. Maybe everyone's just jaded from the Roh government. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 6:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| As a person who is neither a government nor a chaebol, nor a member of either, I'm worried about the future under this Jesus leg-humper. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Yaya
Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 7:31 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Anyone is better than that idiot Roh Moo-hyun. Roh says he wishes he had another five years as president, what a loser! The economy is suffering, jobs are tight, North Korea keeps getting big bucks from South Korea, and HE HAS THE @#$@!! GALL TO SAY HE DESERVES ANOTHER FIVE YEARS? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
RACETRAITOR
Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul, South Korea
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 7:43 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| It's strange that people think that way. Just 20 years ago this country had far worse leaders than Roh could ever be. There were presidents who stole public money, slaughtered citizens, illegally arrested people on suspicion of thought crimes, and actually did declare themselves president-for-life. No matter how much you hate Roh, and he was a lame president for sure, but you have to admit he never got as bad as any of those leaders. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
crazy_arcade
Joined: 05 Nov 2006
|
| Posted: Sun Feb 24, 2008 7:55 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I might as well get my 2 cents in early.
There was a lot of things that I disliked about the Roh administration.
However, in some ways it was very progressive. He began to build up the social welfare system in this country (something that is badly needed) with things such as increased womans' centers and so forth.
The administration also attempted (albeit failed) to move power away from Seoul, which is also something that is badly needed in this country.
I think Mr.Pak will be fine if he dumps his canal idea. I see nothing wrong with encouraging development, however, I'm worried that it will all be in the name of development for Seoul/Gyeonggi and that the rest of the country will be totally ignored for another 5 years.
I'm also worried that they're going to take apart some of the progressive reforms that Roh undertook.
Furthermore, I'm worried that we are going to see a leftwing witch hunt occur and possibly a crackdown on non-conformists. Something that should never happen in a free and democratic society. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
