President Roh to Hold New Year’s Conference Today

President Roh Moo-hyun will have a New Year press conference with local and foreign correspondents at the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae this morning and will deliver the annual announcement for his third-year government plan.

The main agenda is known to focus on creating an economic boom through implementing finances early, expanding investment in public sectors, and increasing job creation through enhanced competitiveness of small and medium sized companies. This plan is also said to be developing further, and therefore, by the end of his tenure or at the beginning of the next administration, the plan’s goal is a national per capita income of 20,000 dollars that would bring South Korea into the ranks of the world’s advanced nations.

Along with that, President Roh is expected to emphasize an anti-corruption campaign to create a clean, transparent society.

After a 15-minute speech, correspondents will have a 40-minute question-and-answer session with the president, in which the president is expected to express his opinions regarding the recent dispute over the appointment of the education minister, the decentralized government management plan and constitutional reform, the North Korea’s nuclear crisis, inter-Korean relationship issues, and the summit meeting.

Grand National Party leader Park Geun-hye is planning to hold a press conference as well on January 19 and announce a New Year’s plan that includes the party’s official position on laws regarding national security, the probe into the nation’s past, and the inspection of private schools. These laws are scheduled to be presented at a special session in February.

Jung-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com