South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Friday called for all-out efforts to revive the country's economy, pledging to create jobs and a stronger drive to reform the state-owned firms.

"As no country and no person were able to accurately predict the start of this worldwide economic crisis, no one can definitely say when it will end," said the president during his nationally televised new year's address.

"However, there is a forecast that it will start to get better in the latter half of this year. I will do my best to make sure this positive outlook will come true," the president added.

Lee said the most urgent issue for the country is employment.

The government will actively support small and medium-size firms which keep their employees or create more jobs, he said, adding that the government will shoulder three quarters of the salaries paid to workers placed on temporary leave.

The president also said the government will continue to take stronger reform measures for state-owned businesses, citing that reforming public firms is truly the way to get rid of excessive weight in the public sector and create jobs for the private sector.

(Xinhua News Agency January 2, 2009)