DA NANG, VIETNAM:South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Saturday called for efforts by countries to promote free trade and make sure their economic growth will benefit all people, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported, told Bernama.
The call came in a meeting with 20 other leaders of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries, known as the Retreat.
“Noting our government is pursuing a ‘people-centered economy’ that emphasizes the importance of providing quality jobs and income to households, President Moon said the government is focusing on three policy initiatives that seek to expand youth employment, create an innovative environment and ensure a fair economy,” the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said of Moon’s participation in the APEC Economic Leaders’ dialogue.
“Also, the president noted the country may be able to provide a good example for APEC discussions on innovative, inclusive and sustainable employment,” it said in a press release.
The South Korean president arrived here Friday for the annual APEC summit.
Moon also stressed the need for additional support for marginalised people, including women forced to interrupt their career due to marriage or childbirth.
He welcomed the APEC Framework on Human Resources Development in the Digital Age, proposed by the Vietnamese host, and promised full support for the new development initiative, Cheong Wa Dae said.
In the Second Retreat that followed a working lunch of the leaders, Moon called for efforts to promote free trade in the Asia-Pacific region.
“While noting APEC has successfully served as a growth engine for the region and the entire world over the past 27 years by working to liberalize trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region, President Moon stressed the need to continue its efforts to completely remove the remaining barriers to trade and investment,” Cheong Wa Dae said.
The South Korean leader again stressed the need to support the marginalised population, insisting that the reason countries often resort to protectionist measures was because the benefits of trade do not reach all people.
“President Moon emphasised the need to support people of all social classes and groups while pushing for growth through free trade, and called for additional efforts by the APEC to this end,” it said.
