NEWSLINE AT NOON 12:00
Coming up on this Monday edition of Newsline at Noon,... President Park Geun-hye is expected to announce a cabinet reshuffle this week, possibly today, following the nomination late last week of her new prime minister.
With Seoul and Pyongyang accusing each other of insincerity, hopes are dimming the two Koreas will return to the negotiating table anytime soon.
Plus,... Greece′s left-wing Syriza party sweeps into power, declaring austerity over and promising to renegotiate the country′s bailout package with international creditors. These stories and more on Newsline at Noon.
It′s noon, Monday, January 26th, here in Korea.
Thanks for tuning in. Live from Seoul... I′m Eoh Jin-joo.
Good to have you with us,.... I′m Mark Broome.
Title: President Park expected to reshuffle Cabinet this week
A day after wrapping up a round of policy briefings for the new year, President Park Geun-hye was quick to announce a new prime minister and a line-up of special advisers to increase cooperation with parliament.
A partial reshuffle of the rest of the Cabinet is expected this week which actually could come as early as this Monday.
Choi You-sun reports.
By carrying out a Cabinet reshuffle since nominating a new prime minister last Friday, President Park Geun-hye likely hopes to regain public support for her economic policies as she enters her third year in office.
The president′s approval ratings dropped to an all-time low of 30 percent, following allegations of her aides abusing their power and disorder surrounding a document leak from the presidential office.
The pending reshuffle, expected to come early this week, will most definitely include a new oceans minister.
A ruling party lawmaker close to the president, Yoo Ki-june, who once practiced maritime law, is a widely talked-about candidate, as is current Busan Mayor Suh Byung-soo.
The shake-up could also include the unification and transport ministers, both of whom entered the Cabinet after President Park′s inauguration.
The president has repeatedly spoken about improving inter-Korean ties this year, the 70th anniversary of the division of the two Koreas, and looks set to add momentum to her unification preparation drive.
The transport minister could be dismissed, after the government was criticized for its investigation into the recent "nut-rage" incident on a Korean Air flight.
But the Cabinet′s economic team, led by Finance Minister Choi Kyung-hwan, will likely stay put to enforce the president′s economic revitalization plan and public pension and labor reforms.
As for the presidential chief of staff, Kim Ki-chun, some speculate he could resign sooner than later, as both the Cabinet and presidential office shake-ups are expected to be completed by next month.
Choi You-sun, Arirang News.
Title: N. Korea warns of ′severe consequences′ if Seoul continues to challenge Pyongyang
South Korea may have gotten an answer to its proposal for inter-Korean tal
