Lee to give U.S.-style radio address on economic crisis

By Yoo Cheong-mo
SEOUL, Oct. 9 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak is planning to give a U.S.-style radio address on Monday to call for national cooperation and unity in overcoming the global financial market crisis, officials at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday.

"The government's major policies and visions have not been properly conveyed to
the public, giving rise to public misunderstanding in many cases. The president
will seek direct contact with the people through a radio address to better
promote his key policies and ask for their support," said a Cheong Wa Dae
official.
"In his first radio address, Lee will speak mainly on the financial market
crisis, stressing his government will do its best to weather the looming economic
crisis," said the official, asking to remain anonymous.
The official said Cheong Wa Dae will push to make presidential radio addresses a
regular occurrence, but has yet to determine whether they will be weekly,
biweekly or monthly.
"The president's first radio address will likely air on Monday morning during
rush hour, between 7:30 and 8, and local radio stations will voluntarily choose
whether to broadcast the speech," he said.
President Lee has repeatedly asked the nation to react calmly to the global
financial turmoil, stressing that South Korea is equipped with foreign currency
reserves worth US$260 billion and will not be left vulnerable to a foreign
exchange crisis.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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