By Lee Hana

Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon highly praised the speech that U.S. President Donald Trump delivered to the National Assembly during his state visit to Korea on Nov. 8.

"The speech succeeded in highlighting the major milestones of Korea's modern history in the most beautiful and simple way that it could be delivered in a foreign language," said the prime minister, speaking during the 20th Future Leaders' Conference at his official residence in Samcheong-dong, Seoul.

Before a group of some 115 young Korean leaders who live abroad in 24 different countries, the prime minister said, "President Trump's address was a beautifully written speech, one that would be difficult for a Korean to write in their native language, in praise of their home country."

President Trump said in his speech earlier that day that after the Korean War, "Much of the great city of Seoul was reduced to rubble. But as the entire world knows, over the next two generations something miraculous happened on the southern half of this peninsula. Family by family, city by city, the people of South Korea built this country into what is today one the great nations of the world. In less than one lifetime, South Korea climbed from total devastation to among the wealthiest nations on Earth."

The prime minister said that what President Trump said about Korea's development was based on hard facts, and he stressed that, "Over the past 70 or so years, Korea managed to bring about amazingly rapid change."

"I believe that all of you here today have in you the DNA to bring about such change, the same kind of miraculous change that Korea achieved over the past few decades. I hope that each and every one of you here experiences many miracles. I've no doubt that such fortuitous opportunities are waiting for you around the next bend," he said.

hlee10@korea.kr