Going back to the special interview,... President Moon showed some optimism in the economic front,... saying things may be turning around.
He said South Korea's economic growth rate is expected to move up to more than two percent this year,... and there are positive trends in employment.
Park Hee-jun has more. President Moon forecasts the South Korean economy will achieve an over two percent growth rate in the latter half of the year.
"The causes of low growth, sluggish exports and investment are showing signs of recovery. The government expects and anticipates the potential growth rate to be restored to the mid-to-high two percent range in the second half of the year."
President Moon said economic growth is an area of concern,... and his goal is to pull the number up to 2.5 to 2.6 percent -- from the minus 0.3 percent recorded in the first quarter of this year.
He also expects better news on the employment front.
Although the number of newly employed in South Korea dropped below 100-thousand in the past year,... the president said he expects that number to double to 200-thousand this year.
As for ways to boost the economy,... the president emphasized the need to find new growth engines and to foster innovative growth.
"We face the urgent task of finding new growth engines to revitalize the economy. For that, the system semiconductors, bio health, and future automobile fields will be intensively nurtured."
He added that small and mid-sized companies in South Korea are already excelling in these areas.
Especially for future cars,... the president says local SMEs are showing great progress exporting compact cars and electric cars.
The president says that should create additional jobs and lead the country into the fourth industrial revolution.
Park Hee-jun, Arirang News.