Other interesting headlines _ September 18

[Yonhap] As Korea has recently stopped sending abandoned babies to Australia to be adopted due to decreasing number of new-born babies, it is sending shocks in many Australian families who have been waiting for a Korean baby, reported Australian newspapers.

[Yonhap] The Ministry of Construction and Transportation announced that the rate of housing supply per capita is 89.7 per cent in Seoul and 96.8 per cent in the Metropolitan area. The highest rate is shown in Cheonnam area with 135.5 per cent.

[YTN] President’s chief secretary for national security Song Min-soon said he didn’t believe the current situation on the Korean peninsula was a crisis and stressed that the government was, at least, offering a clear direction regarding security issues.

[Chosun] A research conducted by Cheil Communications on 400 singles aged 25-34 shows that 62 per cent of respondents believe marriage is kind of an investment and 84 per cent think marriage is a preparatory step for old age. 70 per cent say the first thing they consider is ‘conditions’ of a potential spouse and 55.8 per cent respond age doesn’t matter as long as a future spouse has a good ‘qualification.’

[Joongang Ilbo] The cause of death of Jang Geum-song, a daughter of Jang Seong-taek, who committed suicide by taking a bunch of sleeping pills last months, is reported that the family had been strongly opposing the North Korean man she fell in love with. She was discovered by her driver and maid two days after she killed herself.

[Maekyung] Opposition party lawmakers are proposing former President Kim Dae-jung to become a special envoy to North Korea to help solve nuclear problem impasse. Kim’s secretary said of the demand “former President Kim wants to visit North Korea as an individual and have talks, not any official meeting, to discuss the future of the nation.”

[Yonhap]Rep. Cha Myung-jin of the GNP is reported to have been investigated by North Korean police as he tried to give peanuts and ice-cream to North Korean soldiers during his visit to Mt.Kumkang.