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Park urges N. Korea to drop nuke ambitions
Source: Agencies |
February 26, 2013, Tuesday
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SOUTH Korea's new President Park Geun-hye urged North Korea yesterday to abandon its nuclear ambitions, and to stop wasting its scarce resources on arms, less than two weeks after Pyongyang carried out its third nuclear test.
In her inauguration speech, the country first female president also called on South Koreans to help revive the nation's export-dependent economy whose trade is threatened by Japan's weak yen policy.
Park, the 61-year-old daughter of South Korea's former military ruler Park Chung-hee, met with the father of North Korea's current leader Kim Jong-un in 2002 and offered the country aid and trade if it abandoned its nuclear program.
"I urge North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions without delay and embark on the path to peace and shared development," Park said after being inaugurated yesterday.
Park, usually an austere and demure figure in her public appearances, wore an olive-drab military style jacket and lavender scarf yesterday and smiled broadly and waved enthusiastically as a 70,000 strong crowd cheered her.
Rap sensation Psy was one of the warm up acts on an early spring day outside the parliament and performed his "Gagnam Style" hit, but without some of the raunchier actions.
Park's tough stance was supported by the partisan and largely older crowd at her inauguration.
"I have trust in her as the first female president ... She has to be more aggressive on North Korea," said Jeong Byung-ok, 44.
North Korea, which is facing further UN sanctions for its latest nuclear test, is unlikely to heed Park's call.
Park's choices boil down to paying off Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons plan, which would cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
Referring to the fast economic growth under her father's rule, which drove war-torn South Korea from poverty to the ranks of the world's richest nations, Park urged South Koreans to re-create the spirit of the "Miracle on the Han."
Park wants to create new jobs, in a country where young people often complain of a lack of opportunities, and boost welfare, although she hasn't spelled out how she will do either.
Growth in South Korea has fallen sharply since the days of Park's father who oversaw periods of 10 percent plus economic expansion. The Bank of Korea expects the economy to grow just 2.8 percent this year and 2.8 percent in 2014.
Park also faces a challenge from a resurgent Japan whose exports have risen sharply after new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe embarked on a policy to weaken the yen currency.
The won has jumped five percent in 2013 against the yen after a 23 percent gain in 2012, boosting the competitiveness of Japanese exports of cars and electronics against the goods produced by South Korean firms.
Park last week said she would take "pre-emptive" action on the weak yen, but has yet to specify what action she will take.
In her inauguration speech, the country first female president also called on South Koreans to help revive the nation's export-dependent economy whose trade is threatened by Japan's weak yen policy.
Park, the 61-year-old daughter of South Korea's former military ruler Park Chung-hee, met with the father of North Korea's current leader Kim Jong-un in 2002 and offered the country aid and trade if it abandoned its nuclear program.
"I urge North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions without delay and embark on the path to peace and shared development," Park said after being inaugurated yesterday.
Park, usually an austere and demure figure in her public appearances, wore an olive-drab military style jacket and lavender scarf yesterday and smiled broadly and waved enthusiastically as a 70,000 strong crowd cheered her.
Rap sensation Psy was one of the warm up acts on an early spring day outside the parliament and performed his "Gagnam Style" hit, but without some of the raunchier actions.
Park's tough stance was supported by the partisan and largely older crowd at her inauguration.
"I have trust in her as the first female president ... She has to be more aggressive on North Korea," said Jeong Byung-ok, 44.
North Korea, which is facing further UN sanctions for its latest nuclear test, is unlikely to heed Park's call.
Park's choices boil down to paying off Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons plan, which would cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
Referring to the fast economic growth under her father's rule, which drove war-torn South Korea from poverty to the ranks of the world's richest nations, Park urged South Koreans to re-create the spirit of the "Miracle on the Han."
Park wants to create new jobs, in a country where young people often complain of a lack of opportunities, and boost welfare, although she hasn't spelled out how she will do either.
Growth in South Korea has fallen sharply since the days of Park's father who oversaw periods of 10 percent plus economic expansion. The Bank of Korea expects the economy to grow just 2.8 percent this year and 2.8 percent in 2014.
Park also faces a challenge from a resurgent Japan whose exports have risen sharply after new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe embarked on a policy to weaken the yen currency.
The won has jumped five percent in 2013 against the yen after a 23 percent gain in 2012, boosting the competitiveness of Japanese exports of cars and electronics against the goods produced by South Korean firms.
Park last week said she would take "pre-emptive" action on the weak yen, but has yet to specify what action she will take.
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