President Lee Jae-myung identified economic polarization as a fundamental cause of conflict and the spread of extremism between nations and groups. He urged the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to place greater emphasis on 'inclusive growth,' which focuses on fairly distributing opportunities and benefits of growth.
On September 9, local time, President Lee met with OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann at a hotel in Paris to discuss global economic issues and ways to enhance cooperation between South Korea and the OECD.
President Lee stated, "The OECD has provided significant research and direction on global economic and social policies, which has greatly benefited South Korea. It has been 30 years since we joined the OECD, and during that time, South Korea has transitioned from a recipient of aid to a donor country."
He added, "Given the many changes in the global landscape, South Korea must also contribute significantly," and proposed ongoing discussions on areas of collaboration with the OECD.
President Lee diagnosed that international relations have become increasingly unstable, with rising hostility and extremist thinking among people. He expressed concern that escalating tensions between nations could lead to war.
He remarked, "While there are various causes for the intensification of conflicts between nations or among groups, at the core, economic polarization has a substantial impact."
Furthermore, he expressed a strong interest in the theory of inclusive growth, which advocates for the fair distribution of growth opportunities and benefits as a path to sustainable growth. He requested that the OECD place more emphasis on policy and political efforts to alleviate polarization.
He concluded by saying, "I hope the OECD will take a greater interest in South Korea and that we can continue to discuss how we can work together."
In response, Secretary-General Cormann praised South Korea as a representative success story of the OECD, having transitioned from a recipient of development aid to a donor and a strong exporting nation.
Cormann stated, "South Korea is an extraordinary success story among OECD member countries, having successfully transitioned from a recipient of development aid to a donor country, while also growing into a strong nation with excellent export competitiveness."
Regarding the inclusive growth proposed by President Lee, he affirmed, "I fully agree on its importance, and the OECD will continue to focus on it." Cormann also highlighted the need for member countries to address declining productivity and the aging population and labor force, noting that the South Korean government is seeking innovative solutions to these challenges.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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