President Moon meets OECD chief

SEOUL, Nov. 26 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in promised Monday to further increase his country's cooperation with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and called for joint efforts to promote people-oriented, inclusive growth.

While meeting with OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria, the South Korean president welcomed the sixth OECD World Forum, set to be held here Tuesday.

"I believe the forum will provide a foothold for our government's efforts to improve the livelihood of the people through people-oriented growth," Moon said in the meeting held at his office Cheong Wa Dae.

"Also, I believe it will be a chance to enhance global understanding that quality of life may be more important than gross domestic product or economic growth," he added, according to Cheong Wa Dae pool reports.

The OECD forum, titled The Future of Well-being, will be held Tuesday through Thursday in the country's western port city of Incheon, involving 3,000 government officials, experts and civic activists from around the globe.

Gurria expressed his gratitude for Seoul's support for the OECD forum.

He also expressed his respect for what he called President Moon's leadership in promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula, noting Moon's leadership may have also been vital to the recent improvement in ties between the United States and North Korea.

"I believe the overall conditions on the Korean Peninsula improved thanks to such efforts, and that the president made such changes possible in the region," he was quoted as saying.

President Moon called for efforts to further increase cooperation between his country and the OECD.

"I ask you to continue your support so the cooperative relationship between South Korea and the OECD will continue to expand and develop," the president said.

bdk@yna.co.kr
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