On January 13, President Park Geun-hye addressed the nation and held a press conference, publicly requesting China to step up to resolve conflicts triggered by North Korea's fourth nuclear test.

She blamed the politicians for domestic issues including the slow economy and was straightforward in asking the people to pass judgment on them at the general elections.

By asking these parties to "step up," the president openly revealed her regrets and complaints concerning China for its lukewarm response on the North's nuclear test and politicians for their lack of cooperation on passing controversial legislation.

President Park said, "I will make all possible diplomatic efforts to adopt the strongest resolution on sanctions against North Korea, which will include new restrictions that can bring about a change in attitude from North Korea.

In this process, the role of China will be important." She added, "I trust that in the future China will fulfill the necessary role as a permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council." She urged China to join in the UN Security Council and the international community's efforts to adopt powerful and comprehensive sanctions.

She stressed, "In addition to actions taken at the level of the UN Security Council, the government is closely cooperating with our allies, such as the United States on a bilateral and multilateral level to implement effective sanctions that will make North Korea painfully regret its actions." Concerning the possibility of the shut down of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, she said, "Whether further action is necessary all depends on North Korea," and did not rule out the possibility.

As for placing the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system on the Korean Peninsula, the president said, "We will review it according to our security and national interest while considering North Korea's nuclear and missile threats." China has responded sensitively to the placing of THAAD on the Korean Peninsula.

President Park said, "Security and the economy are the two axes that support a country, and right now we are facing an emergency situation with crises occurring in both areas at the same time." She continued, "The government or the president alone cannot overcome such a crisis. The only alternative to finding a breakthrough in this crisis is you, the people. I ask you to step up."

The president blamed the National Assembly for the national crisis and asked the people to "step up" and pass judgment on the politicians at the general elections. When asked, "Asking the people to step up can sound like a wish to see new faces elected in the general elections, can't it?" the president did not deny the claim and said, "The twentieth National Assembly should at least be better than the nineteenth." She also said, "People who can abandon personal and party interests and serve the country only for the people should gather in the twentieth National Assembly, and..."

On the five pending labor bills, she said, "The Fixed-term Employment Act and the Agency Workers Act were the next best thing we could propose in order to escape the current unemployment crisis. Of the two bills, which labor opposes, we will review the fixed-term employment act in the long-term, but I ask that labor accept the Agency Workers Act. I hope labor can cooperate to hurry and pass the remaining four bills among the five labor reform bills." She then said, "I hope the four labor bills can be passed so that we can help the young seeking employment, as well as the people and businesses in difficult circumstances."

Hong Lei, the spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry mentioned China's role in a briefing and said, "Currently, China has kept its eyes on guarding the goal of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, on preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, and on guarding peace and stability in Northeast Asia when it comes to resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula."