May 26, Colombo: Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena thanked the Saemaul Foundation of South Korea for expanding its rural infrastructure and livelihood development projects after the successful implementation of two pilot projects in Sabaragamuwa Province.

“These efforts have inspired our villagers to speed up their drive to uplift the rural economy,” he said.

The President of Saemaul Foundation Lee Seung Jong, Governor, Gyeongsangbuk-do province, the head of the grant aid supporting body, Korea and the President of Gyambuk Art & Cultural Foundation, Koo Yum Cheol and senior officials of the two foundations called on Prime Minister at the PM’s Office in Temple Trees Thursday.

A Memorandum of Understanding for expansion of Saemaul Foundation projects in Sri Lanka was signed by the Foundation and the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government. It was signed by the , Koo Yum Cheol, Secretary K D N Ranjith Asoka and Director General of External Resources Department of Finance Ministry, Ajith Abeysekara in the presence of the Prime Minister and Foundation President Lee Seung Jong at the Temple Trees.

Prime Minister praised the Saemaul Undong New Village Movement for its tremendous service to uplift Korea to be a developed nation and said Sri Lanka could use its experiences for its rural development plans.

Saemaul President said based on the combination of global interest in Saemaul Undong and the passion of the Korean government for transferring the approach as the core contents for rural development ODA to developing countries, it has expanded its support to Sri Lanka.

Along with these projects, Saemaul Projects will be implemented in broader scale in Sri Lanka in future, Saemaul President said adding that the future projects will uplift the rural communities, reform mind-set towards self-help, cooperation and diligence as a catalyst to economic development plan in Sri Lanka.

Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake, Acting Korean Ambassador Jung Sohnyee and senior officials were present on this occasion.