Today on The Korea Times Podcast: President Park is poised to perform her Cabinet reshuffle while North Korea test fires a so-called ultra-precision anti-ship rocket. Plus the President plans to bolster cyber-security and bird flu makes its way to Seoul.
It appears as if President Park Geun-hye will carry out a small-scale Cabinet shakeup possibly next week, after parliament approves her prime minister nominee, a presidential official said Sunday. The planned Cabinet shake-up is expected to include the maritime minister, although the number of ministers to be replaced remains unknown.
According to North Korean state media, the DPRK has developed a new "ultra-precision anti-ship rocket" that will be deployed soon at its naval units following a recent successful test-firing. "The ultra-precision anti-ship rocket blasted off from a rocket boat. The intelligent rocket precisely sought, tracked and hit the 'enemy' ship after taking a safe flight," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in an English report.
President Park Geun-hye ordered the military Thursday to maintain a solid defense posture to deter possible provocations from North Korea ― particularly from cyber terrorism. “Along with the North's traditional military threats, it is employing new yet obscure provocative measures to cause social conflict and turmoil. Its threats remain unchanged, with it increasingly playing various cards,” she said.
New cases of avian influenza and foot-and-mouth diseases were confirmed over the weekend despite increased quarantine efforts, stoking fears that the animal diseases could spread further. Between December of last year and early February, more than 82,000 animals have been killed in connection with foot-and-mouth disease; while more than 2.5 million poultry have been put down since September 2014.
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