President Park Geun-hye asked the newly appointed prime minister Tuesday to play a pivotal role in policy coordination, saying the government must carry out various reforms to revive the economy and foster the cultural industry.
Park made the request to Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo during a weekly Cabinet meeting held shortly after his appointment ceremony at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae.
Lee, the preceding floor leader of Park’s ruling Saenuri Party, narrowly won parliamentary approval on Tuesday after creating a stir over his apparent attempts to stop the press from carrying negative reports about him.
Opposition lawmakers also accused him of speculating in real estate and lying in order to avoid active military service, among other ethical lapses, but the ruling party pushed for his confirmation to help the administration pursue its policy agenda.
“There is a pile of reform issues our government needs to resolve, and I expect Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo to do well with his rich experience and leadership,” Park said during the meeting.
Park also asked Lee to use joint consultative bodies between the presidential office, government and the ruling party to strengthen communication and play a pivotal role in discussing and making decisions on key government policies.
Park called for greater efforts to fulfill the government’s promise to revive the economy and carry out structural forms in the public sector, labor, finance and education.
“I hope the party, government and the presidential office will work together to ensure that urgent bills for the revival of the economy are passed (during the current parliamentary session) without fail,” she said.
She also urged officials to promote the cultural contents industry and develop it into a key sector of the “creative economy” the government has been working to build through new and innovative businesses. (Yonhap)
