President orders cabinet to push reforms

President Kim Dae-Jung yesterday asked the members of his new Cabinet to focus on finding solutions to the Hyundai Group and medical reform crises within this week so that the government may win back public confidence.

Hosting the first Cabinet meeting since August 7 reshuffle, the President asked the Cabinet members to strive to successfully execute reforms so that Korea may join the ranks of developed nations by the end of the year.

Presidential Spokesman Park Joon-Young, however, said that the President was in no way setting a deadline for the resolution of the Hyundai group`s financial problems. While praising the preceding Cabinet for its overall success in establishing the direction of reforms and formulating policies accordingly, President Kim said that it did leave room for public concern.

Earlier on Monday, President Kim presented official appointment papers to the new Cabinet members, asking them to put reforms back on track so they could be fully pursued by next year, his third in office.