Cold Storage Facility Inaugurated at Phnom Penh Autonomous PortYoon mulls explaining first lady’s luxury bag allegations as early as this month

A cross-docking and cold storage facility were inaugurated on Wednesday at the public-listed Phnom Penh Autonomous Port in Kandal province, contributing to enhancing cold storage standard and increasing container throughput. The inauguration ceremony was presided over by H.E. Peng Ponea, Minister of Public Works and Transport, British Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Dominic Williams, Australian Ambassador to Cambodia H.E. Justin Kevin Whyatt, representatives from the U.S. Embassy and General Consulate of Sweden in Cambodia as well as relevant stakeholders and officials. The cross-docking and cold storage facility were established under the joint initiative between the ministry and InfraCo Asia in collaboration with Phnom Penh Autonomous Port with support from USAID, the UK, Australia, Switzerland, and the Netherland. The facility will support the priority plan of the Ministry of Public Works and Transport set out to strengthen and promote the logistics and port development in Cambodia, as well as reform to ma ke logistics costs more competitive and provide faster, more transparent and more efficient services, he said. 'This cold storage facility will complement the function of LM17 container terminal, which will enable the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port to increase the volume of containers passing through, which will provide cold storage services in line with international standards,' he underlined. These efforts and achievements are in line with the vision of the ministry as well as the political agenda and strategies of the Royal Government, particularly with the direction of the logistics and port development in Cambodia, the minister added. Operated under the company - Khmer Cold Chain, the facility is located in the compound of LM17 container terminal of Phnom Penh Autonomous Port in Kean Svay district, Kandal province. The warehouse has a storage capacity of 5,827 cubic metres with temperature ranging from -22°C to 15°C. Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse SEOUL, President Yoon Suk Yeol is considering explaining his stance as early as this month on allegations that the first lady, Kim Keon Hee, had received a luxury bag as a gift in 2022, sources said Wednesday. An escalating controversy over the luxury bag scandal appears to be becoming a political burden on Yoon as public sentiment has worsened ahead of the April general elections. Yoon is weighing a plan to explain himself regarding the controversy surrounding the luxury bag allegations when he outlines his policy goal vision during an interview with a specific media outlet, according to sources. "Now is the time for the president to give an explanation," an official at the presidential office said, adding that a television interview may be preferred over a conventional press conference. There is an allegation that the first lady Kim inappropriately received a luxury bag valued at around 3 million won (US$2,200) from a Korean American pastor in 2022. A liberal YouTube news channel disclosed a video, tak en with a hidden camera, showing Kim accepting the Christian Dior bag. Yoon is expected to explain what happened and seek the people's understanding, but is also likely to emphasize that Kim is the victim of a political gambit and a criminal act of hidden camera filming. KBS may be chosen as the platform for hosting the interview, though Yoon's office said other options are under consideration and nothing has been conclusively decided. The move follows a recent clash with Han Dong-hoon, the leader of the ruling People Power Party, who rejected the presidential office's request to step down amid the luxury bag scandal. While the Yoon-Han conflict appeared to be settling, some within the party argue that the presidential office needs to take further action to directly address the issue. Han said while the video footage was a premeditated "hidden camera trap," there were "aspects that the people could be worried about" and the issue should be "thought about from the people's perspective." Source: Yonhap N ews Agency