Daily Kor for March 12, 2010

The war games continue, but with an interesting twist: the experts who would be responsible for plucking out North Korea's nukes and other weapons of mass destruction have joined the exercise. Pyongyang will declare that this is a sign Washington and Seoul are preparing an invasion, but what it really means is that someone in the allied capitals doesn't think the DPRK regime will last much longer.

1. US forces' anti-WMD troops join ROK-US joint military exercise (AFP, AP via WaPo, Korea Times, Korea Herald, Joongang Daily)
2. South Korea's continuing low interest rates may increase inflation threat (Bloomberg)
3. Hyundai Motors brings on heir-apparent Chung Euisung as board member (Bloomberg, Yonhap)
4. US President Obama says FTA ratification will enhance ties with allies South Korea, Panama, and Colombia (Yonhap)
5. Pusan rape suspect denies all charges (Korea Herald)
• Law enforcement accused of botched police work as victim may have still been alive when search belatedly went into full gear (Joongang Daily)
6. Pŏp Chŏng, popular Buddhist monk and essayist, dies at age seventy-seven (Yonhap, Korea Herald, Joongang Daily, Chosun Ilbo)
7. Kim Jong-il's personal shopper says he was turned down when he sought asylum in 2006 (Yonhap)
8. Kim Yuna wins bronze in post-Olympic flatulence contest; coach Orser believes she can win gold in Sochi after adult-onset lactose intolerance kicks in (AFP) 

Daily Kor for February 9, 2010: Now Robert Park-free! (and possibly NSFW)

Okay, so I was wrong about the American media reporting on Robert Park's stool sample once he got home to Arizona, but I was nearly right about the Superbowl winners. To recap: I picked the Saints over the Colts, 21-17, and the Saints did win, 31-17. I hereby announce my new venture, "Kushibo's Pretty Good Stock Tips."

1. Pyongyang warns Seoul that any efforts to bring down the North Korean government would be met with "strong measures" from the DPRK military (AP via WaPo, Joongang Daily)
2. Two Koreas fail to reach agreement on resuming cross-border tours (Yonhap, Korea Herald)
3. Opposition parties agree to submit resolution for impeachment of prime minister (Joongang Daily, Korea Herald)
4. Former Samsung chair Lee Kun-hee attends Olympic meeting in Vancouver after being reinstated to IOC seat following pardon for tax evasion (Yonhap, Joongang Daily)
5. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il meets with Chinese delegation hoping to woo DPRK back to six-party denuclearization talks (Yonhap, Korea Herald)
6. South Korean Finance Minister Yoon Jeunghyun says it's premature to raise interest rates since business investment remains weak and asset prices are under control (Bloomberg)
7. South Korean courts side with banks over currency options called KIKO that were designed to hedge against a rising Korea won (Bloomberg, Yonhap, Korea Herald, Joongang Daily)
8. KRW falls to six-week low on European debt concerns (Bloomberg)
9. National Assembly committee approves plan to send PKO troops to Haiti (Yonhap)
10. Toyota Korea says it will recall Prius in Korea if parent company announces general recall (Joongang Daily)

11. To protect travelers' privacy, Ōsaka's Kansai International Airport announces that all passengers passing through full body scanners will be rendered as manga (NYT)

Daily Kor for December 6, 2009: Redemption

Okay, so the great Kim Yuna has redeemed herself. There's nothing more to say. I was remiss in announcing her career and her popularity had come to a tumbling end. People shouldn't listen to me anyway; I'm a washed-up has-been sitting on a beach in Waikiki banging out random thoughts on a Mac keyboard.

1. Skating sensation Kim Yuna scores a gold medal in the ladies free sakting event at the ISU Grand Prix Figure Skating Final in Tokyo (AP via WaPo)
2. Seoul keeps an eye on reports of unrest in North Korea over currency revaluation (UPI, Yonhap); North Korean soldiers reportedly issued orders to shoot anyone who crosses border without permission (AP via NPR)
3. Swedish store decides not to sell North Korea's Noko brand jeans (AP via WaPo)
4. US envoy for North Korea Stephen Bosworth arrives in Seoul Sunday en route to Pyongyang (Yonhap)
5. South Korea draws Argentina, Nigeria, and Greece as competitors in Group B of next year's FIFA World Cup (Korea Times)
6. Pyongyang criticizes Seoul's introduction of law pertaining to North Korean human rights abuses as "unpardonable and grave hostile act" (Yonhap)
7. South Korea submits list of "sensitive" farm products to WTO in move to slow down effects of market liberalization (Yonhap)
8. Tugboat sinks in rough weather off Pusan; crew is saved by passing boat (Yonhap)
9. VANK activists convince basketball great Kobe Bryant to change name to Ulsan (Yonhap)