MB "Mad Cow Disease Tried to Shake Me... Achieved Results with Entrepreneurial Spirit"

by Roh Kyungjo

Published 12 Mar.2024 17:02(KST)

Former President Lee Myung-bak (MB) stated on the 12th regarding the 'mad cow disease' incident that erupted immediately after the government was launched, "Actually, at that time, the issue was not mad cow disease but rather an attempt to bring down President Lee Myung-bak."

Former President Lee Myung-bak (MB) is giving a lecture at the '2nd Construction Management CEO Course' event held on the morning of the 12th at InterContinental Seoul COEX. / Photo by Korea Specialty Contractors Mutual Aid Association

On the same day, at a lecture for the 'Construction Management CEO Course' hosted by the Korea Specialty Contractors Mutual Aid Association at the InterContinental COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, the former president said, "During the beef mad cow disease (protests), a student activist who was the chairman said he had 'turned over a new leaf' and went to some lecture to say that."

He added, "I was overwhelmingly elected (in the presidential election) so there was no major shake-up, but the ultimate goal was to shake me," and "However, they couldn't touch me, so they brought down the next president." He also said, "(I also) suffered in various ways while working on the Four Major Rivers Project." This remark by the former president is interpreted as pointing out that the large-scale protests related to mad cow disease had political motives.

Former President Lee also shared an anecdote related to the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) on defense cost-sharing with the U.S. Forces Korea during the mad cow disease incident. He said, "At that time, the mad cow disease incident broke out and there was chaos with people saying 'everyone will die if we import American beef,' but then U.S. President George W. Bush said, 'My term is ending, but I can give you one gift.'"

He recalled that the two countries negotiated the defense cost-sharing for U.S. Forces Korea annually, and at that time, President Bush said, "I will sign off on maintaining the status quo for the next five years without negotiations and then leave." He added, "I asked, 'If you do that and leave, won't the next president reject it?' and he said, 'The U.S. is different from Korea; if the predecessor does that, it is honored as is.'"

Former President Lee also shared examples of the 'sales diplomacy' he focused on during his tenure. After the 2008 global financial crisis, South Korea was the only country to record positive growth, and on the stage of summit diplomacy, leaders from various countries tried to come close to him, leaving no chance to eat alone or dine alone.

Regarding the export of the Barakah nuclear power plant to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2009, he said that although France had already been informally awarded the contract, he made several phone calls to the UAE ruler and formed a team to visit, putting in great effort to achieve the first nuclear power plant export success. However, he recalled, "It was not like a state guest invitation these days, but rather I went humiliatingly like a salesman."

Additionally, the former president mentioned projects he promoted while serving as mayor of Seoul, such as the restoration of Cheonggyecheon Stream and the introduction of bus-only lanes, emphasizing that these were "results achieved with entrepreneurial spirit deeply ingrained in my bones." He added, "South Korea and businesses are currently in crisis, but for some companies, it can be an opportunity," and said, "I hope you all have courage in this crisis, grow well, and that it becomes an opportunity for South Korea to grow well too."

Meanwhile, about 100 people attended the lecture, including Lee Eun-jae, chairman of the Korea Specialty Contractors Mutual Aid Association, CEOs of specialty construction companies, executives of general construction companies, and executives of construction-related and financial institutions.