Other important headlines_September 26

- [Dong-a Ilbo] Forty-seven government agencies are reported to have asked 119,901 more officials by 2010. The Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs said, however, it wouldn’t be possible to increase the number as requested by the agencies and revealed a ‘government management plan for 2006-2010’ which includes increasing government personnel by 43,000-50,000. Security and social welfare departments will see their personnel up next year with 23 new staff for MOFE, 14 for MOCIE, and 8 for MOFAT.

- [YTN] As for the report that the Ministry of Unification had submitted to Cheong Wa Dae a comprehensive inter-Korean economic cooperation plan, the ministry rejected it as ‘groundless.’

- [Joongang Ilbo] That President Roh sent a tea set to children without parents and torrential rain victims as a Chuseok gift is criticized by some for its irrelevance. Accordingly Cheong Wa Dae decided to send some additional rice to them.

- [Yonhap] The government is said to have verbally expressed sorry for the US report which included Korea as a child sex labor trading country. A government official close to the issue said “we confirmed with the US and it seemed they have mistakenly included Korea on the list. We expressed our sorry twice to US Ministry of Labor.”

- [Money Today] Jinro has filed a lawsuit against an event company hired by Doosan for defamation and business interference. The event company is alleged to have spread rumors that Jinro is backed by Japanese capital and is paying loyalty fee to Japan.

- [Donga Ilbo] Expensive private schooling is no longer an issue limited in Seoul. Parents in provincial areas are suffering from snowballing spending for private education for their children. Some parents in Cheongju monthly spend W3m for a famous private essay teacher from Seoul.

- [E-Daily] Hyun Jung-eun, president of Hyundai Group, said at Kaesung industrial park she would continue pushing forward with inter-Korean economic cooperation through take-over of Hyundai Construction Co..