President Kim Will Boost Economy

President Kim Dae Jung firmly requested, today, the apology of the opposition Grand National Party(GNP) for collecting illegal political slush funds during last year's presidential election and misusing governmental power. The president had a special interview with JoongAng Ilbo's managing editor Han Nam Kyu on September 21 in the Blue House(Chong Wa Dae) in honor of the newspaper's 33rd anniversary.
Kim asserted that the GNP above all must apologize to the nation for illegally mobilizing the Tax Administration Agency with the objective of assuring Lee Hoi Chang's win last year. He made it clear there would not be any further talks without an apology.
He again stated, 'Although the GNP is now claiming they are being suppressed by government power, it goes without saying that they ought to return to the National Assembly in advance to distinguish between right and wrong, not by outside congregational demonstrations.'
President Kim also said, 'The current political investigation is not a tilted or one-sided one but rather for political reform in general, and there can be no second national foundation without cleaning up all the longtime corruption.'
He continued that he would do his best to boost the economy by saying 'I am sure we can manage to survive the current economic crisis when we first sustain labor-management peace.'
About visiting Japan next month, Kim added, 'Japan needs courage to accept what happened in the past, and my state visit will be of help for both countries' 21st century future cooperation.'
Finally on North Korea's recent satellite launch, Kim commented, 'Our administration thinks it can be a threat for us and is trying to prepare a solution.'