Panel Set to Change Election System
By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
A new presidential panel on addressing ideological and political differences said Monday it will push for joint projects between conservative and liberal forces and help create a new election system that can help tackle persistent regionalism.
The decision was made in its inaugural session Monday to lay out a master plan for this year.
It added that efforts would be made to help foreign residents and North Korean defectors better adapt to life here.
The government launched the Presidential Committee on Social Cohesion late last year to cope with a deepening social division amid repeated threats from communist North Korea and partisan wrangling over a series of government initiatives.
The 48-member panel will address issues, including a widening divide between the country's rich and poor, chronic regionalism and generational differences, Cheong Wa Dae said.
The committee is led by former Prime Minister Goh Kun, known for his experience in government during which time he gained a reputation for his pragmatism, morality and anti-corruption efforts.
"South Korea achieved industrialization and democratization during a short period, but as it stands on the threshold of becoming an advanced nation it is suffering from great challenges brought about by globalization," Goh said. "Social unity is a precondition for South Korea becoming an advanced country."