Pres. Park laments parliamentary impasse over gov`t reshuffle

President Park Geun-hye expressed deep concern over the parliamentary impasse over her proposed reorganization of the government on Wednesday.

“In a situation where North Korea conducted a nuclear test and our national security is threatened, it is truly worrisome and regrettable that the one who is supposed to play the role of a control tower in national security did not attend the first meeting of senior secretaries,” she said in her first meeting with her senior secretaries. She also blasted the political impasse, saying, “Politics is all for the sake of the people.”

The president was referring to the absence of former Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo, who has been named to head the presidential national security office. As the government reorganization proposal remains pending in the National Assembly, Kim`s agency is not yet an official organization. Kim could not attend Wednesday’s meeting because he has not been officially appointed.

“In a transition period like this, the government should maintain its balance and take good care of issues related to the people`s livelihood,” President Park said. She added that the government must work harder to curb rising inflation by minimizing mitigating factors and preventing businesses from joining the inflation bandwagon.

The president mentioned national security and the economy as the two main pillars of her administration`s agenda in her first meeting with her aides. She also reaffirmed her opposition to tax increases, telling aides to first try to cut costs as much as possible and find other ways to raise funds.

egija@donga.com