SEOUL: Park Geun-hye was sworn in as South Korea's first female president Monday, pledging economic revival, educational system overhaul and restoring trust between the two Koreas. “The new administration will usher in a new era of hope premised on a revitalizing economy, the happiness of our people, and the blossoming of our culture,” Park said in an inauguration speech delivered to some 70,000 people gathered in front of the parliament for the ceremony. The 61-year-old vowed to root out “unfair practices” that stifled the growth of small and medium-sized businesses, reform the educational system to allow more room for creativity and bring about “flourishing culture.” Park, whose inauguration came on the heels of a widely condemned nuclear test by the North Korea, also sent a warning message to the northern neighbor. “North Korea's recent nuclear test is a challenge to the survival and future of the Korean people, and there should be no mistake that the biggest victim will be none other than North Korea itself,” Park said. “I urge North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions without delay and embark on the path to peace and shared development,” she added. At the same time, she repeated her pledged to seek a “trust- building process” between the two Koreas to “lay the groundwork for an era of harmonious unification.” “Trust can be built through dialogue and by honoring promises that have already been made. It is my hope that North Korea will abide by international norms and make the right choice so that the trust-building process on the Korean Peninsula can move forward,” Park said. The 61-year-old daughter of late military strongman Park Chung-hee won the Dec 19 presidential election, becoming the first-ever president to earn a majority of the popular vote since democratic elections were introduced here in 1987. BN
