President Kim Starts To Tackle Domestic Economy

With the announcement that he had won the Nobel Peace Prize and the success of the Asia-Europe Summit Meeting comfortably behind him, President Kim Dae-jung Monday repeated calls on cabinet ministers to give first priority to resuscitating the shaky national economy.

Meeting with cabinet members in the wake of the third Asia-Europe Meeting which wrapped up Saturday, the president asked the ministers to give full attention to revitalizing the economy and ensuring public welfare.

Mr. Kim met with members of the supreme council of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party over lunch, asking them to help turn the fragile economy around, and to work with the opposition Grand National Party.

"We have to work cooperatively with the opposition party," Mr. Kim said.

His remarks come after a new offensive by the opposition. It has claimed that the "party is over," in reference to the short-lived period of harmony between the two camps following Mr. Kim winning the Nobel Peace Prize on Oct. 13 and the two-day ASEM conference last week.The main opposition party holds 133 seats and the ruling party holds 119.

Mr. Kim in particular stressed that South Korea must realize stable growth by completing reforms in the financial, labor, public welfare and state corporation sectors.

He also said that he will work to create new jobs, as "jobs are essential for creating stability in the public sector."

by Kim Jin-kook