Economy needs major surgery: S Korea's Park

Seoul

SOUTH Korea's president called on Thursday for "major surgery" on the economy, which faces slowing growth and increasing challenges as she approaches the half-way point of her single five-year term.

Park Geun-hye, whose popularity has dipped below 40 per cent, has fallen short on pledges to breathe fresh momentum into Asia's fourth-largest economy and seen her push for labour market reforms and job creation sputter.