Welcoming the brand New Year of 2019, South Korean President Moon Jae-in held the New Year's event on the first working day of the year, also giving a New Year's speech that guides the country's path moving forward.
At the Korea Federation of the SMEs, some 300 people are in attendance, including political figures and business leaders like Samsung Electronics' Lee Jae-yong, Hyundai Group's Executive Vice Chair Chung Eui-sun and heads of SK and LG Groups.
The president said the goal of steering the country's economy to a better position by securing the power from both the small-and-mid-sized firms and large businesses for the economic growth.
President Moon added that he will work on setting the stage so people can work in a more safe environment.
And the president mentioned his peace drive with North Korea as well.
Kicking off the first working day of 2019, South Korean President Moon Jae-in visited the National Cemetery in Seoul this morning, paying his respects to South Korea's fallen heroes.
The visit being the first official event of the third year of his single five-year presidency, President Moon was accompanied by all 19 members of his Cabinet, including Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon as well as his senior aides.
He left a message in the visitor log, indicating 2019 is the 100th anniversary of Korea's national foundation.
He reiterated his resolve to make Korea a country where everyone can be well-off together.
North Korea is willing to start a new relationship with Washington but that has to be done through joint efforts by the two sides.
That's the message from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, on Tuesday January 1st, through his annual New Year's Address.
Kim stressed he is willing to sit down for a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at any time but added he can't help but look for a "new way" if the U.S. doesn't keep its promise and forces Pyeongyang with sanctions and pressure.
The North Korean leader also called on South Korea and the U.S. to stop their joint military drills and deployment of strategic assets.
He said these raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula despite the two Koreas' promise for peace and prosperity.
Meanwhile, Kim Jong-un expressed that inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation should deepen further in the new year.
Kim said he is willing to reopen the inter-Korean industrial park in the North's border city of Kaesong
and resume a suspended tour program to Kumgangsam Mountain on the North's east coast "without any preconditions."
Kim said he is always ready to sit down again with the U.S. president at any time and will make efforts to produce an outcome that the international community would welcome.
Kim emphasized that it is his firm intention to work on building "new relations" with the U.S., establishing lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and seeking "complete denuclearization," as agreed to in his June summit with President Trump.
In response to Kim Jong-un's New Year's speech, U.S. President Donald Trump said he too looks forward to meeting with his North Korean counterpart.
President Trump on Tuesday evening, tweeted the comment together with part of a news report
that says Kim Jong-un is ready to meet President Trump anytime.
He referred to Kim as someone who realizes that North Korea possesses great economic potential.
Trump's tweet also included the part of the report where it said North Korea will not make or test nuclear weapons or give them to others.
Source: Arirang News
No comments:
Post a Comment