NEWSLINE AT NOON 12:00
Coming up on this Tuesday edition of Newsline at Noon,... President Park Geun-hye is expected to reshuffle some of her Cabinet ministers this afternoon after hearing recommendations from her new Prime Minister, Lee Wan-koo.
Egypt′s air force bombs Islamic State targets inside Libya, a day after a video shows the beheading of 21 Egyptians. Egypt′s president says the situation in Libya poses a threat to world peace and security.
Plus,... a year after its release,... we take a look at the effect a UN report on North Korea′s human rights abuses has had on the regime. These stories and more on Newsline at Noon.
It′s noon, Tuesday, February 17th, 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: New prime minister recommends Cabinet reshuffle to president
We begin with news that President Park Geun-hye has officially appointed Prime Minister Lee Wan-koo.
Lee, who narrowly won parliamentary approval a day before,... attended his first Cabinet meeting as prime minister this morning... after receiving his letter of appointment.
He′s likely to make recommendations to the president on a Cabinet reshuffle... that is to be carried out this afternoon.
As part of her administrative reforms,... President Park is expected to not only fill the vacant seat of oceans minister,... but also replace several other Cabinet positions.
However,... there′s speculation that she may wait until after the Lunar New Year holiday to replace her chief of staff.
Title: Korea′s central bank holds key rate at 2%
As widely expected by market watchers,... Korea′s central bank is keeping its key rate steady... at two percent.
But with scores of countries around the world loosening their monetary policies,... the sentiment is ...that the Bank of Korea will follow suit and cut its rate... sometime in the first half of the year.
Hwang Ji-hye has more.
The Bank of Korea has decided to stand pat on its key interest rate of 2 percent... for the fourth straight month in February.
The rate freeze that came on Tuesday right before the Lunar New Year holiday... gives the central bank more time to gauge the impact of two previous rate cuts in August and October last year.
Those cuts, which came in line with government efforts to prop up the ailing domestic economy,... left the country′s base rate at an historic low... not seen since the height of the global financial crisis in 2009.
Still,... market expectations are growing for another rate cut in the first half of this year.
They′re being driven by a wave of global monetary easing... that countries like China, India and Australia are engaged in,... along with weak economic sentiment at home despite aggressive government stimulus measures.
Low inflation also leaves room for more monetary easing.
But lowering the key rate stokes concerns... about the country′s snowballing household debt... that already exceeds 900 bil
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