Park plans New Year’s press conference Monday

President Park Geun-hye will hold a New Year’s press conference Monday morning to announce her new state agenda and her vision on unification, according to Cheong Wa Dae on Wednesday.

“(The president) will unveil her ideas on how to reinvigorate the economy, and her vision on state management and inter-Korean relations,” said senior presidential secretary for the press Yoon Doo-hyun, adding that she would respond to reporters’ questions later on.

The conference will be held at Chunchugwan, a press center near the presidential office, and will be broadcast live across the country. The Cabinet members, including Prime Minister Chung Hong-won and senior presidential secretaries, are expected to attend the meeting with the press.

The president is likely to announce a detailed plan to speed up her three-year “economic innovation” road map, and push ahead with reform drives aimed at creating more jobs, cutting government subsidies for the civil servants’ pension and eradicating wrongdoings at public agencies and institutions.

Park is also likely to present her vision for unification and thoughts on the proposed inter-Korean dialogue. Seoul proposed a ministerial talk with Pyongyang later this month to discuss a reunion of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War and other issues. In a New Year’s address, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un demonstrated his desire to hold a “top-level meeting” but said he would do so if Seoul and Washington would end their joint annual drills.

Other domestic issues such as scandals involving Park’s former aides and plans for a Cabinet reshuffle are expected to be highlights of the conference.

Some observers say that Park will not replace her ministers or secretaries at the presidential office as an investigation by the prosecution has concluded that the allegation that her aides meddled in state affairs was false.

It will be her second press conference since taking office in early 2013. The president has rarely appeared before reporters covering Cheong Wa Dae or held meetings with journalists over the past two years.

The presidential office is reportedly considering holding separate meetings with managing editors and political desks early this year to avoid criticism over her lack of communication.

By Cho Chung-un ()