Kim listens to special advisors; reaffirms commitment to reforms

Following talks with members of the Supreme Council of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP) at Chong Wa Dae on Saturday, President Kim Dae-Jung met with a group of his special consultants to address the current economic situation.

At the luncheon meeting, President Kim dispensed with his usual practice of making his own opening remarks, instead collecting opinions on the present state of affairs from all 14 of his special consultants after opening greetings from the head of the special advisors to the President, Lee Sang-Soo.

According to a meeting participant, the consultants said that because the current situation could not be addressed with band-aid solutions, comprehensive reforms should be made in state affairs.

Another participant said that because some of the consultants made strongly worded statements, he had some concerns about how the President would react to them.

Most consultants were of the view that extensive reshuffles would have to be conducted not only within the ranks of the ruling party leadership, but also within the government and Chong Wa Dae. Many of them stressed the need to appoint reform-minded individuals in the proposed shakeups.

President Kim, meanwhile, was quoted as saying that it was inevitable for the ruling camp to confront various obstacles in the course of advancing toward its objectives, stressing the importance of instilling confidence in the people. He went on to say that the existing reform programs must be continuously promoted, even if his approval rating falls to the level of 10 percent.

After the meeting, the head of the group told reporters that the presidential consultants raised problems not only related to their own special fields but to state affairs as a whole, including personnel reforms and reforms in systems as well. But other participants refused to disclose details of the matters discussed at the Chong Wa Dae meeting.