FACTBOX-South Korea's faltering economic reforms

Mon Dec 29, 2008 1:31am EST
 
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Dec 29 (Reuters) - South Korea's parliament speaker vowed on Monday to break a deadlock sparked by opposition to a trade deal with the United States and force a vote by Wednesday on dozens of reform measures designed to boost Asia's fourth-largest economy.

Following are major policy changes President Lee Myung-bak's government planned to implement, and what has happened since.

* Initially economic growth to be raised to 6 percent in 2008 from an estimated 5.0 percent in 2007 and 5.1 percent in 2006.

- It has been revised down to a target of 3.6 percent for 2008. The finance ministry set next year's growth target at around 3.0 percent, while the central bank expects 2.0 percent.

* Corporate income tax rates to be lowered gradually by 5 percentage points over five years.

- This plan has been delayed but is still high on the government's agenda.

* Financial supervisory agency to consider ways to bail out some 7 million delinquent small debtors.

- This is still being worked out.

* Government ministries and agencies to be merged or restructured to save running costs.

- Lee was forced to scale down this plan due to political opposition. He recently called for new measures that would make it easier to cut the number of public servants.

* Abolish limits on big-company investment in other firms.

- The government wants to implement this within 2008.

* A 4 percent limit on non-financial companies' ownership in commercial banks to be replaced with a more flexible system, allowing for more ownership.

- Regulators have presented a bill to parliament on these reforms but the legislation has yet to be approved.

* The government to promote privatisation of the postal service.

- Not yet done and little momentum for plan.

* Part of the state-run Korea Development Bank to be sold to private investors. Proceeds to fund national projects.

- The KDB plan has not been implemented yet. (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz, Editing by Dean Yates)

 

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