Independent presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo pledged Sunday to reconsider a set of high-profile government projects to privatize state corporations such as Incheon International Airport.

Democratic United Party candidate Rep. Moon Jae-in also promised to review whether to push for ongoing state construction programs including President Lee Myung-bak’s four-river refurbishment project.

Amid talks to unify their candidacy, Ahn and Moon unveiled comprehensive policy pledges on a wide range of issues including welfare, job security, economic growth and economic democratization.

Introducing 171 policy pledges, Ahn said that he would conduct a full-scale review of the politically controversial projects to privatize the Incheon airport; a new KTX line linking Suseo, southern Seoul, with Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province; and the country’s sole aircraft maker Korea Aerospace Industries.

Ahn also said that he would seek to introduce a “blind trust” system for high-level government officials to prevent them from using their position to amass wealth unfairly.

He also pledged to exempt those in the bottom 5 percent of the income bracket from their health insurance pay; double the basic pension support for senior citizens; and expand the proportion of female high-level public officials.

Reiterating his “people-first” principle, Moon pledged to institutionalize politicians’ abandonment of their vested interests and prerogatives, and strengthen the parliamentary role to keep the president in check.

“I will break the vicious circle in which people turn their back against politics and vested interests do not change,” Moon told a press conference at the National Assembly.

Moon said that he would invest “for the people” rather than unnecessary massive social overhead capital projects, alluding to Lee’s pet four-river renovation project.

For job creation, Moon envisions what he calls a virtuous economic circle in which job creation leads to an increase in domestic consumption and then the overall economic growth ― logic contrasting job creation through economic growth.

He said he would seek to create 700,000 jobs through shortening working hours or observing the legal work time, and halve the number of contract-based irregular workers and legalize an increase in the retirement age to 60 from the average 55.

Meanwhile, Ruling Saenuri Party candidate Rep. Park Geun-hye announced that she would push to set up a “People’s Happiness Fund” worth up to 18 trillion won ($16.6 billion) to help address snowballing household debts.

Park stressed that her envisioned fund focuses on lessening ordinary citizens’ high-interest burden and helping to restore their financial credibility. It is to be raised through issuing bonds rather than mobilizing the government’s direct investment, she said.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)