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SEOUL : President Lee Myung-Bak Friday unveiled a "green growth" strategy to drive South Korea's economy in future decades as the nation celebrated its 60th anniversary with colourful parades and festivals.
"Green growth is a future strategy that will enable a 'Miracle on the Korean Peninsula' to succeed the 'Miracle on the Han River,'" Lee said in a speech celebrating six decades marked by dramatic economic growth and democratisation.
Lee also expressed hope of eventual reunification with communist North Korea, despite a breakdown in relations since he took office in February, and offered it "substantive economic cooperation."
The conservative president, whose government was rocked by months of street protests against US beef imports, stressed the importance of the rule of law. He vowed to upgrade South Korea's image, lamenting that it is best known overseas for "labour-management disputes and street rallies."
Friday is also the 63rd anniversary of Korea's liberation from 35 years of harsh Japanese colonial rule.
Lee, involved in a territorial dispute with Tokyo over islands in the Sea of Japan (East Sea), urged it to "face up to history and refrain from making the foolish mistake of repeating the unfortunate past again today."
After World War II, Korea was divided into US and Soviet zones of influence, with North and South Korea coming into existence in 1948. Two years later, the North invaded the South, sparking a three-year war that left the country in ruins and an estimated 1.7 million Korean civilians dead.
Since then, the size of the economy has grown 750 times to become the 13th largest in the world, and democracy was achieved in 1987 after decades of military-backed rule.
Lee spoke of a "sense of crisis" sparked by soaring oil prices but hailed an opportunity to transform economic fundamentals and create new growth engines.
He touted "Low Carbon, Green Growth" as the core of the country's new vision. "The renewable energy industry will create several times more jobs than existing industries," he said.
He vowed to increase energy self-sufficiency through overseas exploration from the current five percent to more than 50 percent by 2050.
All-out efforts would also be made to raise the use of new and renewable energy from the current two percent to more than 20 percent by 2050.
Research funds for green technology would more than double.
One million homes would use new and renewable energy, he said without giving a time frame, and South Korea would strive to become one of the world's top four nations producing "green" cars.
A package of measures against climate change was to be unveiled next month.
"Even if soaring oil prices drop in the years to come, now is the time for us to bid farewell to the era of excessive oil dependence."
North Korea has been fiercely hostile to Lee, who took office in February and promised a firmer line in cross-border relations. It derides his offer of massive economic aid in return for denuclearisation.
Relations soured further after the killing of a Seoul tourist who strayed into a military zone at a North Korean resort.
Despite the killing, Lee said, "I have expectations that Pyongyang will come forward for comprehensive dialogue and economic cooperation because now is the most opportune time for the North to make change."
Security was tight in Seoul following a summer of protests against the resumption of US beef imports.
The demonstrations have died down since the government secured extra safeguards against the supposed risks of mad cow disease. But a protest coalition vowed to stage its 100th rally Friday evening.
Lee made no reference to the rallies but stressed the need to promote trust in society, guarantee the rule of law and win world respect. He promised a big increase in overseas aid and active participation in UN peacekeeping missions.
- AFP /ls
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