Park to meet three party leaders in May

President Park Geun-hye speaks during a luncheon with the chief editors of 45 newspapers and broadcasters at Cheong Wa Dae, Tuesday. She said she wants to meet with opposition party leaders regularly to discuss state affairs. / Yonhap

President vows to boost communication

By Kang Seung-woo

President Park Geun-hye said Tuesday that she is willing to meet ruling and opposition party leaders on a regular basis to seek their cooperation on pursuing her policy agenda.

She said a good way forward would be to create a three-way consultative body of the government and ruling and opposition parties in May to discuss state affairs.

This is viewed as indicating that she may boost communication with the opposition following the ruling Saenuri Party's defeat in the April 13 general election. One of the reasons for the defeat is said to be the President's unilateral governing style.

She made the remarks during a luncheon with the chief editors of 45 newspapers and broadcasters at Cheong Wa Dae — the first meeting of its kind in nearly three years that lasted more than two hours.

"After visiting Iran (next month), I will try to meet the leaders of the three parties as soon as possible," Park said. She plans to travel to Iran from May 1 to 4 on a state visit. "In addition, I will positively consider regularizing meetings with them."

The President also said that she would make the utmost effort to ensure cooperation and communication with all levels of society, while pushing for change and reforms, by reflecting the wishes of the people as shown in the elections.

Park's remarks came as she faces calls to reform the government and enhance communication after her Saenuri Party only managed to win 122 out of 300 parliamentary seats, demoting it to the National Assembly's second-largest party after the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea with 123. The minor opposition People's Party captured 38 Assembly seats.

In addition, her comments indicate that the President will handle state affairs, including her four major reforms, based on dialogue and communication.

As the Saenuri Party has lost its parliamentary majority, Park cannot pursue economic and social reforms without the support of the opposition parties.

Cabinet reshuffle

In the wake of the Saenuri Party's defeat in the election, there has been speculation that Park may reshuffle the Cabinet as a means to turn things around, but she rejected the idea, saying it was not the right time to do so.

"I cannot afford to reshuffle the Cabinet, considering the urgent security situation that may see a possible fifth nuclear test by North Korea following its recent test-fire of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM)," Park said.

"In addition, the Cabinet has a lot of economic tasks to accomplish."

Asked about former floor leader Yoo Seong-min's return to the Saenuri Party, Park said the decision is up to the party, but did not hide her bitter feelings about him.

Yoo, a former close aide to Park, stepped down from his post last year after locking horns with the President over a revision to the National Assembly Law. At the time, Park denounced Yoo as a betrayer who sought his own political interests.

"I hoped the floor leader would have helped me manage state affairs during difficult times. However, the trust-based relationship between us was broken after he assumed the position and pursued his own political gains," Park said.

As to a tough anti-corruption law scheduled to go into effect in September, the President said she feared it would damage the economy.

The legislation, widely dubbed the "Kim Young-ran Act," calls for imprisonment of up to three years or hefty fines for those who accept money or something valued at 1 million won ($870) or more, regardless of whether it was given in exchange for favors or not.

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"I am concerned that if the law takes effect, it may excessively shrink the economy," Park said.

State-authored textbooks

Park reaffirmed her decision to publish "controversial" state-authored textbooks for middle and high schools after 2017 in a belief that the current textbooks contain numerous factual errors and offer mostly leftist perspectives of history.

"History education that does not encourage the younger generation to feel pride in the nation should be corrected. It is the older generation's responsibility to provide the right perception of history," she said.

Critics, including the opposition parties, claim that the textbook plan is aimed at trying to glorify the dictatorship of former President Park Chung-hee, President Park's father.

Park was also positive about civil servants playing golf.

"I hope they will feel free to golf here," she said, adding that they go abroad to tee-off to avoid the public gaze and it eventually shrinks domestic consumption.

Although the Park administration has not officially forbidden government officials from playing golf, they have stayed away from courses due to Park's past comments.

During a Cabinet meeting in June 2013, Park told one of her staff that she did not impose a ban on golf, but asked if civil servants had time to enjoy the sport even with tight government schedules.

"I did not mean to say it like that. From now on, I will try to watch my mouth," she said.

NK ready for fifth nuke test

Park said North Korea could conduct a fifth nuclear test at anytime, warning of stronger sanctions and pressure if Pyongyang goes ahead with such a provocation.

"We estimate that North Korea has completed its preparations for a fifth nuclear test," Park said.

"However, we are closely cooperating with the United States on the issue, while the international community is also discussing how to handle it. Should the North carry out another test, it will face tougher punishment that will hasten its collapse."

The U.N. Security Council imposed the toughest-ever sanctions on the Kim Jong-un regime for its fourth nuclear test, Jan. 6, and a long-range rocket launch, Feb. 7.

The President said the sanctions are starting to show their effect, citing China's full cooperation in the sanctions. China is the North's lone economic lifeline and political backer.

Regarding the shutdown of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex in retaliation for earlier provocations, she said it was an unavoidable choice for Seoul, which was doing nothing amid the intensifying international sanctions.

"The government's preemptive measure served as a momentum for the international community to join forces to punish the North," she said.

In the meantime, Park made it clear that the government made no promise to remove the statute symbolizing comfort women which stands across the street from the Japanese Embassy in Seoul when the two countries reached a Dec. 28 verbal agreement to help former wartime sex slaves.

"We did not mention the matter. It's not true at all," Park said.

Japanese officials have said that a statute symbolizing comfort women, which stands across the street from the Japanese Embassy in Seoul, should be removed as part of the agreement.