South Korean President Park Geun Hye In Her New Year’s Message Vows To Boost Economy, Create More Jobs

President Park Geun Hye assured to boost South Korea's economy in her New Year's message Thursday. Korea Times reported on the same day that the South Korean leader also promised to create more jobs for her constituents in 2016.

"[The government] will firmly root the creative economy and cause the culture to flourish, eventually to revitalize our economy and to create more jobs," Park said in a video message uploaded on Facebook and YouTube.

Reports have revealed that jobless rate among youth aged 15 to 29 was recorded to be at 8.1 percent in November, which is higher than the unemployment rate for the entire South Korea which is at 3.1 percent.

The South Korean president also said that "the government will also endeavor to successfully complete the Three-year Plan for Economic Innovation," which aims to raise South Korea's economic growth rate and increase employment rate.

"With our Three Year Plan for Economic Innovation, we will raise Korea's potential economic growth rate back to over 4 percent, which is otherwise expected to fall to 3 percent by 2017, achieve an employment rate of 70 percent and lay the foundation so that we can go beyond a gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of $30,000 and reach $40,000," Park said during the first anniversary of her inauguration.

Park in her message also said that the country will make strict retorts to the provocation of its rival, North Korea.

"We will make stern responses to any North Korean provocation with a watertight defense posture while keeping the door for dialogue open, moving closer to an era of a peacefully united Korean Peninsula," she said, as noted by Korea.net.

The South Korean leader concluded her New Year's message by saying, "I ask all of you to join us to make a leap forward in the journey towards changes and innovation. I wish you and your families good health and happiness. Happy New Year!"