other important headlines_Oct 24

- South China Morning Post reported today that a North Korean ship is now being detained by Hong Kong police but no ‘prohibited goods’ was found. It was the first ship interdiction since the adoption of the UN resolution.

- Train fee will increase by 9.3 per cent from next month due to general price rises and rising oil prices. Ticket price for KTX will see the biggest increase of 9.5 per cent, followed by Mugoonghwa of 9%, and Saemauel of 8%.

- According to Uri Rep. Choi Sung who has recently met a high-ranking North Korean official, the North Korea official said if the ruling and opposition parties chooses a bipartisan envoy, North Korea is willing to meet the envoy. Rep. Choi said the official implied Park Geun-hye as a favorable envoy by saying ‘in the case of the opposition party, the former leader’ would be good.

- The eldest son of former Deputy Prime Minister Jin Nyum died from electric shock in the New Malden train station two days ago. Mr. Jin is expected to arrive at London today.

- AhnLab, the nation’s largest computer security provider, rejected M&A rumors. The company said though it reviews various ways for further growth, there hasn’t been anything concretely decided yet. The M&A rumors were triggered by the lab’s appointment of a new CEO from IBM.

- Uri party floor leader Kim Han-kil said the party would participate in punitive actions against North Korea which excludes any military intervention. The party will join the sanctions based on diplomacy in order to get the regime to the negotiation table, but will not participate in any sanction that can trigger military conflicts, he said.

- Shon Seok-hee, professor of Sungshin women’s university, tops this year’s list of ‘who is the most influential in the press sector?’ by Sisa Journal. The second top is Chosun Ilbo’s editor-in-chief Kim Dae-joong. KBS is chosen as the most powerful media (56.5%), followed by Chosun Ilbo(55.6%), MBC(33.2%), Donga ilbo(20.5%), and Joongang Ilbo(19.6%), and Naver(10.0%).