other important headlines

- It is reported that Kim Jong-il July 16 issued ‘war mobilization order’ to soldiers and the public, for the first time in 13 years when North Korea walked away from NPT in 1993 and imposed emergency measures. A high ranking government official said “soldiers who had been on vacation or overseas went back to their army base. And moves of readying army cars and combative equipment have been spotted.”

- In a security meeting presided over by President Roh, the government decides to continue persuading North Korea to get back to the six party talks, but if failed it will hold five-party talks as an alternative to discuss measures to bring the North to the negotiating table. The government also postpones the provision of materials for light industry and inter-Korean economic cooperation promotion meeting for the time being.

- A research by Prof. Choi Pyung-gil at Yonsei Univerity shows that 64 per cent of university students say their goal at the university is getting specialized knowledge and a good job while less than 1 per cent of respondents say their goal is active social participation and volunteering. The report shows that students are more pragmatic and self-centeredness than the old generation who spent their student life doing demonstration against the autocratic government.

- Food is cut off to union workers who are occupying the main office of Posco in Pohang. The company also shut down electricity in the building. 532 workers stopped participating in the walkout but there are still 1,000 unionists.
- Flood warning was imposed on the lower part of Nakdong River as the water level keeps rising.

- National Intelligence Service received this year W429.2 bn in ‘special operation cost,’ the biggest such budget, followed by Defense Ministry and the Police with W120-140 bn. ‘Special operation cost’ is given to a government agency which can use the budget without reporting about where it spends the money.