President Park Geun-hye pledged Monday to demonstrate South Korea's commitment to contributing to global issues as she prepares to visit New York later this week for the U.N. General Assembly.
  

Park is also set to attend the U.N. summit for sustainable development that will adopt the post-2015 development agenda, which serves as a guideline for sustainable development over the next 15 years.
  

The new agenda is a follow-up to the Millennium Development Goals designed to eradicate extreme poverty, reduce child mortality and achieve universal primary education.
  

Park also plans to attend a separate U.N. summit on U.N. peacekeeping operations.
  

"I will further enhance our status and national interest by showing commitment to making contributions to global issues, including climate change," Park said in a regular meeting with top aides.
  

She said there could be in-depth discussions to secure international support for a peaceful unification with North Korea.
  

She also expressed gratitude for high-profile religious and business leaders, as well as politicians, who have pledged financial contributions to a fund meant to help create jobs for young people.
  

"I would appreciate if many people from all walks of life joined" the contributions, Park said.
  

Last week, Park proposed the establishment of the fund and unveiled her plan to donate 20 million won ($17,000) in one lump sum, then 20 percent of her monthly wage each month.
  

On Monday, she donated 20 million won to the fund to "help resolve the difficulty" of young people finding jobs.
  

Park renewed her calls for an economic takeoff as she hailed a recent decision by global credit appraiser Standard & Poor's as international recognition of South Korea's efforts for structural reform.
  

Last week, S&P raised South Korea's sovereign rating one notch from A+ to AA-, citing the country's future growth potential and a decline in external debt.
  

South Korea joined the ranks of the United States, Germany, Canada, Britain, France and Saudi Arabia, which all have the AA- equivalent or higher ratings from the world's three top credit agencies - S&P, Moody's Investor Service and Fitch Ratings.
  

"We should achieve a second economic takeoff ... by getting out of the mire of excessive pessimism," Park said.
  

She also urged officials to step up efforts for structural reform of the economy and called on the parliament to take follow-up measures over a recent landmark compromise reached among labor, management and the government to ease labor restrictions.
  

The deal would allow companies, among other things, to dismiss workers who are either negligent or underperforming.
  

Currently, companies can terminate an employee's contract only when they are involved in either corruption or embezzlement. Firms are also permitted to lay off a certain number of workers should they face serious financial difficulty. (Yonhap)