ARIRANG NEWS 18:00

Title: President Park says public consensus needed before revising national pension coverage
President Park Geun-hye, who had fallen ill after returning from her recent South America tour, went back to work earlier today.
At a meeting with her senior secretaries, she made clear her positions on the main rival political parties′ agreed reforms to public pensions, the aftermath of the recent bribery scandal and criticisms about her policies on Japan.
Choi You-sun reports.
Upon her return from a week-long break due to an illness, President Park Geun-hye addressed bipartisan efforts to revise the country′s deficit-ridden public employee pension system.
However, she expressed disappointment that the reform plan will only reduce the public burden next year by three million U.S. dollars a day.

"I regret that the extent of the reforms and the 20-year period to reduce payments has fallen short of the public′s expectations."

The president also raised concerns about a trade-off deal between the two parties to raise the national pension coverage to 50 percent of a subscriber′s nominal income level.

"This matter should also be discussed with government ministries and a public consensus must be reached before a decision is made."

As for a recent bribery scandal involving the country′s political heavyweights, President Park vowed to eradicate corruption and sever the collusive ties between politics and business.
She said that two pardons granted to Sung Woan-jong, a deceased businessman at the center of the scandal, should be investigated, and a president′s right to grant a pardon reviewed.
President Park has been under pressure to revise her Japan policy amid concerns Korea has fallen into diplomatic isolation following Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe′s recent U.S. visit.
She responded by saying Abe has become the target of criticism in the U.S., after his failure to address and apologize for Japan′s wartime sex slavery system while addressing Congress.

"President Park urged officials to continue her two-track approach of taking a hard-line stance on historical issues while exercising diplomacy to maintain good relations with regional powers a move that analysts say reflects her confidence in her foreign policy.
Choi You-sun, Arirang News."
Title: Seoul′s foreign affairs minister reaffirms Korea′s two-track policy towards Japan
Seoul′s foreign affairs ministry has also reaffirmed President Park′s two-track policy on Japan.
Speaking at the National Assembly′s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee on Monday, Minister Yun Byung-se said the international community is criticizing Japan for its historical revisionism and Korea should cooperate with the U.S., Germany and the European Union on the history issue, as Tokyo will not change its stance easily.
Yun was referring to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe′s failure to apologize to the victims of Japan′s system of wartime s

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