새날 영어 17th Episode
1.
The SaemaulUndong is a development strategy that has not only helped to lift Korea up, but also transformed our national ethos.
Half a century ago, Korea’s per capita GDP stood below one hundred dollars. We were among the poorest countries in the world.
2.
I watched my late father, who was president at the time, push the SaemaulUndong forward.
And as I did so, I was able to learn first hand the recipes for success, and the multipliers that helped change the people and transform the nation.
3.
In the first year of the SaemaulUndong, the government gave out equal amounts of cement to some thirty three thousand villages across the country. They were told, “you’re free to use the cement as you see fit, as long as they’re used for collective projects.”
4.
The second formula is trust-based leadership at the national level.
The nation’s leader uprooted corruption from the bureaucracy. People then began to place their trust in the state. With integrity and drive, he kept political populism at bay. He devoted himself to making sure both rural and urban areas prospered in harmony.
5.
The third is the voluntary and proactive engagement of the people.
Having seen how the ‘can do’ spirit can lead to new realities, the people themselves stepped up to become the agents of change.
6.
Even to this day, the SaemaulUndong in Korea is still a work in progress.
By adapting to the distinct needs of countries and to the changing times, the SaemaulUndong can become a strategy for rural development globally, and for progress nationally.
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