Park calls for fresh start toward economic reform

By Jun Ji-hye

President Park Geun-hye told Wednesday Cheong Wa Dae officials to come up with a fresh resolution to accomplish economic reform and lay the groundwork for the unification of the two Koreas.

“Officials here must achieve these tasks with a sense of duty and sincerity,” Park said, during a morning assembly of employees of the presidential office.

“I want you to regard Cheong Wa Dae itself as a taskforce to manage state affairs. You need to bear in mind that a mistake or deviant behavior by even one single person can wield great influence upon the whole office.”

Park made the remarks on the second anniversary of her inauguration.

The comments come after falling approval ratings following a series of controversies over her uncommunicative leadership style and mounting calls for reform of Cheong Wa Dae personnel.

“It is a special opportunity to serve the nation and its people,” she said. “The harder we work, the better life the people can enjoy. We need to feel great responsibility for what we are doing, and let us do our utmost.”

It was the first time that Park had attended the morning assembly of Cheong Wa Dae employees.

Presidential spokesman Min Kyung-wook said that Park’s participation was to encourage them as her third year in office begins.

About 700 employees cheered and applauded Park.

Watchers said that the third year of Park’s five-year tenure would be a golden time to reform the administration and improve inter-Korean relations, given that no major elections are scheduled this year.

Follow Jun Ji-hye on Twitter @TheKopJihye