S. Koran Official:’ Our government position is firm, Kim Jong-un is alive and well’

Speaking on Sunday, Moon Chung-in, Special Adviser on National Security to South Korea's President Moon Jae, said that the North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un is alive and well, putting at all the rumors about the dictator’s death.

The official said: "Our government position is firm, Kim Jong-un is alive and well."

N. Korea's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported o Monday that Kim had sent a message of thanks to workers on the Wonsan Kalma coastal tourism project.

Market reaction

The above headlines end the uncertainty over Kim Jong-Un’s health condition and therefore the Asian markets remain in a better mood, as the US dollar extends Friday’s losses against its main competitors.

USD/JPY holds steady around 107.50, as the focus shifts to the BOJ monetary policy decision. AUD/USD tests eight-day highs near 0.6440 despite poor Chinese Industrial Profits data.

Meanwhile, USD/KRW keeps its recent range trade intact around 1,235 levels, as the bulls consolidate before the next push higher. Last Monday, the cross spiked to three-week highs above 1,240 on chatter about Kim’s likely death due to sickness.