President Lee Jae-myung, on a state visit to France, met with Mathias Cormann, secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), on the 9th (local time) and pointed to economic polarization as a cause of intergroup confrontation, stressing that an "inclusive growth" approach is necessary for sustained growth.
At a hotel in Paris that day, President Lee met with Secretary-General Cormann and said, "There may be various reasons for the intensification of rivalries and conflicts between countries and the escalation of confrontations and conflicts among people and groups, but if you look at the root, I believe economic polarization ultimately has a significant impact," adding the above.
President Lee said, "International relations have become highly unstable, hostile feelings among people have worsened significantly, the number of those with extremist thinking is growing, and the conflicts caused by them are also intensifying," adding, "As confrontations between countries intensify, I am concerned that the likelihood of them escalating into war is growing."
President Lee proposed "inclusive growth" as a solution. He said, "Among the views of international organizations, what draws great attention is the so-called inclusive growth theory that sharing opportunities for growth and its fruits as fairly as possible is the path to sustained growth," adding, "There are many times I feel this issue should be emphasized more."
He also signaled an intent to contribute to the international order. President Lee said, "The Republic of Korea has changed from a country that received aid to one that can provide aid, and the global situation has seen many changes," adding, "The Republic of Korea should also make many contributions."
Secretary-General Cormann responded, "It has been the 30th anniversary since the Republic of Korea joined the OECD," adding, "Among the many member countries of the OECD, I consider the Republic of Korea a remarkable success story."
Secretary-General Cormann presented the tasks the OECD is focusing on as follows: ▲ market democracy and cooperation among countries ▲ enhancing global economic welfare ▲ resolving imbalances in trade ▲ eradicating unfair transaction practices that distort markets ▲ restoring supply chains.
He added, "Because the Republic of Korea produces many semiconductors and electronic products, I understand this is a very important agenda for Korea. Going forward, we should pursue reforms in a way that benefits open, rules-based trade."