South Korea's president-elect Lee Myung-Bak, has described Jesus as a model for CEOs.

President Lee, 66, made the statement during a prayer meeting at Seoul's Somang Church where he serves as a Presbyterian elder, said aide Kim Heon-Jin.

A former chief executive of the Hyundai group's construction arm, Lee has pledged to become a business-friendly president and revitalise the economy.

"I've said I will become a CEO-type leader but actually, the best model of a CEO-type leader was Jesus Christ. "Two millennia ago, Jesus showed a leadership of service by washing the feet of his disciples. Likewise, I will do my own best, serving the people."