hankyoreh

Cheong Wa Dae, the presidential office, said Wednesday that it has selected 100 entrepreneurs eligible to directly call President Lee Myung-bak 24 hours a day over business difficulties.

"Lee will this week open a hotline cell phone solely for entrepreneurs as part of his drive to enhance corporate investment and competitiveness. Cheong Wa Dae has picked about 100 entrepreneurs who will be allowed access to the presidential hotline," the office said in a press release.

"The president will personally listen to corporate executives' difficulties and recommendations through his hotline phone anywhere and anytime, in line with his business-friendly principle."

The president will have his secretaries carry the hotline cell phone in the daytime and take the phone to his residence in the nighttime. The hotline number will be confidentially offered to the 100-odd entrepreneurs and leaders of business organizations.

The office noted that owner-managers of small businesses accounted for 39 of the hotline users, followed by business organizations with 33, financial institutions with 17, large conglomerates with eight and business research centers with five.

With small business managers accounting for 83 percent of the total, Lee is particularly committed to listening to the business difficulties of small and medium-sized companies, it added.

The opening of a entrepreneurs-only hotline was included in Lee's presidential campaign pledges. Lee, who vows to become a CEO-style president, has frequently said he was impressed to see a Dubai ruler talking directly to private executives on a cell phone during his visit to the Middle East in the past. Meeting with business leaders shortly after his election win in December, Lee also said, "Please let me know how to encourage private businesses to invest. Talk to me directly."
SEOUL, March 19 (Yonhap)