To fight Korea's recession-bound economy and aid the impoverished, President Lee Myung-bak yesterday said he would put his administration emergency mode.

In a New Year address, he reaffirmed his commitment to reforming regulations, education and the pubic sector, while calling on the opposition to support the government's efforts to tackle the economic crisis.

He indicated no change to his stance on North Korea, urging Pyongyang to end its antagonistic attitude and respond to Seoul's offer of dialogue.

A stern-faced Lee outlined key policy plans for this year that focused on overcoming the economic downturn and enhancing the social safety net. He also used the 20-minute speech to advance his vision for green growth and wide-ranging reforms.

"With hope and courage, we need to operate at full throttle for the earliest possible recovery from the economic crisis. In that sense, the Lee Myung-bak administration will be in emergency-economic mode for 2009," he said.

The economic conditions will be monitored on a daily basis and the government will not waste time in devising and implementing necessary measures, he added.

His aides said Cheong Wa Dae plans to establish an emergency economic committee soon for swift response and more effective coordination of policies.

"It will be like a war room to lead a battle against a stagnating economy," a senior aide explained.

The panel will be chaired by the president and consist of the finance minister, the central bank chief, the top financial regulator and senior presidential aides on economic affairs.

He reaffirmed a pledge to supply sufficient liquidity to help struggling small companies and debt-ridden households.

The government will assist small companies financially to encourage payroll compliance and new hiring, he said.

He expects the world economy may begin to turn around in the latter half of this year, calling on the nation to try to turn this crisis into an opportunity and prepare to prevail in a post-crisis world economy.

"All countries must work together through close international coordination to provide sufficient currency liquidity, drastically expand their fiscal outlays and decisively implement restructuring, thereby rekindling the fire of hope in the market," he said.

"Only then, according to some predictions, will the economy gradually begin to turn around from the latter half of this year."

He also asked the National Assembly to pass his bills to boost the economy through tax cuts, deregulation and infrastructure investment.

"Now it is the National Assembly's turn to give support. If they do, we will be able to spur ongoing efforts to revitalize the economy and create jobs, which is the hope of all Koreans," he said.

The main opposition Democratic Party has been violently occupying the National Assembly hall for more than two weeks to block legislation they claim would undermine democracy and economic justice.

"Now is the time for us to gather our strength, not level criticism at each other without offering alternatives and not to stand by idly doing nothing," he said.

The DP turned a cold shoulder to his appeal.

"The president is blaming the National Assembly without any sincere reflection on the policy failures that led to economic plight, frozen inter-Korean ties and a retreat of democracy," said Kim Yu-jung, a DP spokesperson.

In contrast, the ruling Grand National Party praised the president for showing clear resolve to overcome the crisis and urged the DP to put an end to its obstructionism.

As for North Korea, he reaffirmed Seoul's readiness to resume dialogue and urged Pyongyang to take a "more flexible and mature attitude."

"I am willing to engage in dialogue with the North at any time and am ever ready to cooperate with it as a partner," he said. "It is my honest wish that the North will unshackle itself from old, outmoded tactics of instigating conflict within the South and will come forward with a cooperative attitude."

He stressed the importance of harmonious labor-management relations to protect jobs. He urged labor unions' concessions in wages and work conditions and management's transparency and innovation.

"Let us all pool our efforts to make sure that the current crisis will serve as an opportunity to reform our confrontational labor-management culture, which undermines the nation's economic competitiveness," he added.

On future growth engines, he pointed out three sectors encompassing green technological industries, hi-tech fusion industries and high value-added service industries.

"The nation's drive for a green 'New Deal' is being ignited," including technological development of new and renewable energy sources, projects regarding recycling and energy efficiency for buildings and vehicles," he said.

"For all this green work, the government will install a green growth council directly under the president while pushing for a basic law for green growth," he said.

He advocated his plan to revitalize the country's four major rivers as a key project for environmentally-friendly development.

"The areas surrounding the four rivers will be turned into large environmentally-friendly parks, which in turn will be linked by bicycle paths. The result will be the blossoming of a new ecological culture," he said.

The multi-purpose project is conducive to preventing natural disasters, responding to climate change, preserving the environment, improving water quality and assuring an abundant supply of water, he said.

He expects the project will help create 280,000 new jobs.

The president also praised Korea's growing role in the global community. He pledged to push ahead with free trade agreements with more countries and enhance ties with four major powers directly involved with the Korean Peninsula.

By Hwang Jang-jin

(jjhwang@heraldm.com)

Noun

1. Obstacle / 장애물
2. Deterrent / 방해물
3. Condominium / 분양 아파트
4. Epidemic / 전염병, 유행병
5. Adverse effect / 역효과
6. Tourism / 관광사업
7. Medical welfare / 의료 복지
8. Thermostat / 자동 온도 조절 장치
9. Harness / 끄는 장비, 마구
10. Byproduct / 부산물
11. Supper / 저녁 식사
12. Asthma / 천식
13. Inhaler /흡입기
14. Twitch / 경련
15. Esophagus 식도
16. Lining / 안, 내면
17. Manuscript / 필사본, 원고
18. Entry way / 입구의 통로
19. Badge / 신분 증명서, 명찰
20. Basement / 지하실
21. Theft / 절도
22. Assignment / 양도
23. Deliberation / 심사숙고, 검토
24. Commitment / 공약
25. Rank-and-file / 평사원
26. Rebate / 환불
27. Layman / 문외한
28. Consul / 영사

Verb

1. Derail / 탈선시키다
2. Flourish / 번성시키다.
3. Burden / 부담하다.
4. Insulate / 단열하다.
5. District /(v) 구분하다 /(n) 구역
6. Propel / 나아가다, 추진하다.
7. Contemplate / 고려하다. 이행하다.
8. Necessitate / 필요로하다.
9. Consult / 참고하다.
10. Accumulate / 모으다, 축적하다.
11. Salvage / 구하다. 지키다.
12. Usher / ~을 인내하다.
13. Screen / 심사하다. 처리하다.
14. Retain / 보관하다, 유지하다.
15. Detain / 구류하다. 강금하다.
16. Condense / 압축하다. ~을 응축시키다.
17. Spoil / 상하게하다.
18. Covet / 탐태다. 바라다.

Adjacent

1. Shaky / 불안정한, 휘청거리는
2. Easternmost / 가장 동쪽의
3. Glorious / 영예로운, 빛나는
4. Foremost / 최우선의
5. Compensatory / 보상의
6. Pharmaceutical / 제약의
7. Abrasive / 거슬리는
8. Damp / 습기찬, 축축한
9. Consequent / 결과의, 필연적인
10. Perceptible / 지각이 있는
11. Accustomed / 평소의, 늘 하는
12. Contradictory / 모순된
13. Relievable / 경감할 수 있는
14. Excessive / 과도한
15. Acknowledgeable / 인정할 수 있는
16. Reliant / 신뢰하는, 의지하는
17. Contemporary / 현대의, 동시대의
18. Superficial / 피상적인
19. indicative / 암시하는, 지시하는
20. Justifiable / 정당한
21. Legible / 읽기 쉬운
22. Reluctant / 마음에 내키지 않는
23. Revolting / 불쾌감을 일으키는
24. Compelling / 설득력 있는
25. Convincing / 설득력 있는

Adverb

1. Notably / 특히, 현저하게
2. Inevitably / 불가피하게
3. Sufficiently / 충분히
4. Hence / 그러므로, 따라서
5. Fluently / 유창하게

Idioms

1. In the end / 마침내
2. so-called / 이른바, 소위
3. wreak havoc in / ~을 파괴시키다. 혼란시키다.
4. Account for / ~을 차지하다.
5. Stay at a standstill / 정지상태에 있다.
6. for good / 영원히, 이것을 마지막으로
7. put together / 구성하다. 종합하다.
8. shop around / 상품을 둘러보다.
9. Seldom used / 잘 사용되지 않는
10. Work hour load / 작업 시간량
11. Turn in / 제출하다.
12. Step down / 은퇴하다. 사직하다.
13. Time off / 쉬는 시간.
14. be better off / 더 잘살다. 보다 나은 상태이다.
15. Keep one's account active  / 거래를 활발하게 하다.

Noun

1. Obstacle
2. Deterrent
3. Condominium
4. Epidemic
5. Adverse effect
6. Tourism
7. Medical welfare
8. Thermostat
9. Harness
10. Byproduct
11. Supper
12. Asthma
13. Inhaler
14. Twitch
15. Esophagus
16. Lining
17. Manuscript
18. Entry way
19. Badge
20. Basement
21. Theft
22. Assignment
23. Deliberation
24. Commitment
25. Rank-and-file
26. Rebate
27. Layman
28. Consul

Verb

1. Derail
2. Flourish
3. Burden
4. Insulate
5. District /(v) /(n)
6. Propel
7. Contemplate
8. Necessitate
9. Consult
10. Accumulate
11. Salvage
12. Usher
13. Screen
14. Retain
15. Detain
16. Condense
17. Spoil
18. Covet

Adjacent

1. Shaky
2. Easternmost
3. Glorious
4. Foremost
5. Compensatory
6. Pharmaceutical
7. Abrasive
8. Damp
9. Consequent
10. Perceptible
11. Accustomed
12. Contradictory
13. Relievable
14. Excessive
15. Acknowledge
16. Reliant
17. Contemporary
18. Superficial
19. indicative
20. Justifiable
21. Legible
22. Reluctant
23. Revolting
24. Compelling
25. Convincing

Adverb

1. Notably
2. Inevitably
3. Sufficiently
4. Hence
5. Fluently

Idioms

1. In the end
2. so-called
3. wreak havoc in
4. Account for
5. Stay at a standstill
6. for good
7. put together
8. shop around
9. Seldom used
10. Work hour load
11. Turn in
12. Step down
13. Time off
14. be better off
15. Keep one's account active