Park backs merit-based appointments

President-elect Park Geun-hye, center, and her followers walk to pay their respects at Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-dong, Seoul, Thursday. / Yonhap

President-elect meets US, China envoys

President-elect Park Geun-hye pledged Thursday to appoint people to important positions based on their merits, not hometowns or school ties.

“I will do my best to end the history of division here by adopting measures for reconciliation and putting a halt to cronyism in public service,” Park said at the ruling Saenuri Party’s headquarters. “I will appoint people from all generations, regions and gender for key government posts.”

Her remarks addressed one of the key common complaints against past and current governments as the sources of division.

At the start of his presidency, the incumbent President Lee Myung-bak lost a great deal of credibility when he gave plum jobs to his Korea University alumni and church associates.

Park won the Wednesday election with support of 51.7 percent, showing that the remaining “nearly half” gave their support to her former rival Moon Jae-in of the main opposition Democratic United Party.

Park also got her diplomatic efforts off.

The President-elect met U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim, Chinese Ambassador Zhang Xinsen, Ambassador Bessho Koro from Japan and Russian Ambassador Konstantin V. Vnukov.

Details of the closed-door meeting were not known.

The President-elect’s separate meetings with the envoys came amid heightened security tensions in Northeast Asia after North Korea launched a long-range rocket, and leadership changes in countries concerned with the region.

U.S. President Barack Obama won a second-term last month, while China’s new leader Xi Jinping is set to take over in months. In Japan, rightist leader Shinzo Abe was elected Prime Minister, igniting speculation that Korea-Japan ties could turn further sour if not properly managed.

On Thursday, Park reaffirmed that she would mobilize diplomatic efforts to bring peace and build partnerships to counter North Korea in a coordinated manner.

“The presidential election was held in the midst of a shift of the security environment on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea’s launch of the long-range rocket led us to realize the grim situation facing the nation,” the President-elect said.

“Concerns are also growing over regional tensions in East Asia and the global economy… I will live up to my commitment that I will play a role in opening a new era for the Korean Peninsula by building up security and launching trust-based diplomacy.”

Park began her official schedule as President-elect by visiting the National Cemetery in Dongjak-dong to pay tribute to national leaders, who are buried there.

In the visitors’ book, she wrote, “I will begin a new era by bringing about change and reform.”

Park is expected to appoint the head of the presidential transition team and its members as early as next week. <The Korea Times/Kang Hyun-kyung>