Transition team ups pressure for policy

By Chung Min-uck

President-elect Park Geun-hye’s transition team is increasing pressure on government offices to reflect new policies to enhance the livelihood of the people as pledged during her presidential campaign.

"The President-elect has shown displeasure regarding government agencies not showing any willingness to try to solve problems from the people's point of view, and still passively sticking with old practices and customs,” said Park Sun-kyoo, Park’s spokesman, in a press briefing Saturday.

“She has kept asking government officials to try to view issues from the people’s perspective, and to ask themselves how they would approach these issues if they were doing it for their children or parents.”

"I hope every agency that will give policy briefings will keep that in mind,” the spokesman added.

The team began getting briefings from major government agencies from Jan. 11 and will continue to do so until Thursday. It aims to map out policy blueprints for Park’s incoming government which is to be launched on Feb. 25. As of Sunday, briefings were given from the ministries that handle the state budget, national defense and small- and medium-sized businesses.

Touching upon the old practices and customs, the spokesman pointed out government officials’ “passiveness in implementing new polices” as they continue to refer to the “hardship in securing funds for welfare policies.”

As part of a key policy goal of improving the livelihood of the people, Park is planning to adopt various welfare policies in different sectors in line with her pledges.

Around 2.4 trillion won of additional financing was newly earmarked in this year’s spending in order to fulfill Park’s new polices including a free day care program for all children aged up to five.

Reportedly, Park’s transition team and the defense ministry, during the briefing, had conflict over increasing monthly salaries for men who are serving in the military. The policy was one of Park’s welfare pledges.

Insiders say more conflict is expected during the briefings as Park wants to implement as many welfare pledges as possible.

Meanwhile, some media reported that the President-elect was "furious" with some government agencies, but the spokesman said that expression “was a bit too strong.”

Yoon Chang-jung, the transition team's chief spokesman, also said reports describing Park as being outraged were absolutely not true. "From now on, the transition team will state its position on all inaccurate, fictitious and libelous reports," Yoon said. "We think such reports hinder the people's right to know and our ability to communicate with them."