Why Singapore PM drew praise from South Korean minister and newspaper

The Straits Times - 10 June 2009

SEOUL: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's choice of taking commercial flights while on overseas visits came in for praise by a South Korean official and the country's best-selling national newspaper.

The Chosun Ilbo - in an article headlined 'Reasons why Singapore PM has no private jet' on Monday - recounted a recent conversation between South Korean Finance Minister Yoon Jeung Hyun and Mr Lee after both had attended the Asean-South Korea Commemorative Summit, held on the southern island of Jeju this month.

Mr Yoon, who was at Seoul's Gimpo airport on May 30 while headed for the summit, was puzzled when he found out that Singapore's PM was not travelling by private jet to the summit.

Mr Lee had arrived on a commercial flight at Incheon airport in Seoul and was waiting to check in for the flight to Jeju at Gimpo airport, Chosun Ilbo reported.

After the summit was over, a curious Mr Yoon asked Mr Lee during a meeting on June 3 why he chose to fly commercial.

'Why doesn't the leader of an affluent country use a private or charter jet?' he asked, noting that Singapore's per capita GDP was about twice that of South Korea's.

Mr Lee said he did not think Singapore was an affluent country, the Korean daily reported.

'Besides, as a government official, I have to lead by example. Singapore's senior officials fly economy class, not first class, for flights under six hours,' he was quoted as saying.

For Mr Yoon, the Singapore leader's response came as a pleasant surprise. 'I was astonished by his pragmatism.'

Noting that Mr Lee is the son of Singapore's first prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, Mr Yoon told the paper: 'Like father, like son.'

The Chosun Ilbo noted too that the attitude of Singapore's leadership was indeed praiseworthy, given that it would have been more convenient for national leaders to opt for private flights while on official trips.