Former South Korean President Lee Myung-bak (이명박 [ko]), inaugurated as president in February 2008, expressed a willingness to consider the project, unlike his immediate predecessor Roh Moo-hyun. Former Japanese Defence Minister and long-term Diet member Seishiro Etō was quoted after a meeting with other interested lawmakers from various parties: "This is a dream-inspiring project" and "We'd like to promote it as a symbol of peace-building."[21] Japanese legislators stated that the tunnel could "...one day allow passengers to travel by rail from Tokyo to London".