President Lee Myung-bak said Tuesday that South Korea hit the road towards a bigger global role as an advanced nation with the successful hosting of the G-20 economic summit last November.
"Certainly, there should be a difference before and after the G-20," Lee said. He added Seoul's hosting of the summit was a starting point for its role in the international community as a "top-notch, advanced and mature democratic nation."
The president made the remarks at an inter-agency meeting to discuss the country's new vision after the Nov. 11-12 summit, in which South Korea took the initiative in setting agenda items and coordinating conflicts among major economies such as the United States and China.
Lee's office Cheong Wa Dae had planned to hold the meeting shortly after the G-20 summit, but it was postponed due to North Korea's deadly attack on the South's western border island of Yeonpyeong.
Lee also stressed the importance of education for South Korea's future.
"Korea is the world's only divided nation. And the world's most belligerent forces are at our bedside," Lee said. "We have the responsibility for economic growth while spending a lot on defense budgets. Furthermore, we have no natural resources. We only have human resources."
In the discussion session, meanwhile, the Presidential Council for Future & Vision suggested that South Korea adopt an aggressive opening policy, such as expanding free trade agreements and promoting a multicultural society.
"The first task of the current generation is also to hand over safe economic and social environments without concern for North Korea's provocations to the next generation," it said in its report to the president.
The Presidential Council on National Competitiveness advised the government to benchmark China's "going out" strategy of encouraging the overseas investment of local firms, especially through mergers and acquisitions (M&A).