Meet the Salaryman in Chief

How have Korean views toward the United States changed?
Five years ago, the establishment [felt] positively [toward] the U.S., but young people who didn't experience the Korean War or past relations were not that favorable. But I detect changes. The young generation's view is gradually moving from negative to positive. If we can upgrade the alliance, all generations will share a common vision.

You said that inter-Korean relations can ' t improve unless the North gives up its nuclear weapons. Will the relationship now stagnate?
There shouldn't be any nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula. The South and North should seek joint prosperity while maintaining peace. The North should also become independent economically. We cannot seek that kind of relationship, and [ultimately] unification, if the North keeps its nuclear weapons.

Can joint economic projects continue while the nuclear talks are deadlocked?
Real expansion will be difficult, and the number of small and medium-size companies investing there will not increase significantly.

Under what conditions would you meet Kim Jong Il?
The leaders of the two Koreas should think about how to improve the lives of their 70 million people. If we [could] open up our minds, sit down and discuss these matters heart to heart, a summit [would be] helpful. I will not have a formal summit just for the sake of domestic politics.

You won the election by a big margin. Are you burdened with high expectations?
I am. But my focus is to change Korea's economic structure for its long-term advancement, not to pursue certain short-term policies based on populism. I also plan to ask people for their hard work, while explaining the difficulties of the international economic environment.

© 2008