Today's headlines_Dec 21

- Pastors of Protestant Christian organizations shaved their heads yesterday in a strong protest against the private school law and urged the National Assembly to revise the law.

- Contention between prosecutors and judges is mounting as the prosecution argued a long-standing customary rule under which prosecution should report details of important legal cases to judges should be abolished.

- Former judge at the Supreme Court Lee Kang-kuk is likely to be appointed head of the Constitutional Court.

- Ever possible measure to cool down the property market will be introduced in earnest early next year, said Construction Minister Lee Yong-seop.

- The government is mulling over a measure to restrict a household owning more than two houses in a speculative zone to take out a mortgage loan.

- Former president of SNU Jung Won-chan hinted at a possibility to run for the next presidential election, saying “it would be a lie if I say I haven’t thought about joining in politics.” He has recently met with Uri leader Kim Keun-tae.

- In the writing to Wall Street Journal, former GNP leader Lee Hoi-chang who is believed to make a comeback to the political scene argued that the engagement policy should be abolished and a possibility for a war to break out is higher now due to the sunshine policy. He called on the government to stop providing all kinds of assistance to the North.

- Japanese Nikei sinmun reported today that North Korea revealed its willingness to give up only on a new nuclear development program while retaining already-made nuclear weapons.

- Among $24 m held in the North Korean BDA account, $12 m is believed to be the money the North had received from Hyundai, and the US accordingly is said to take measures to unfreeze part of the money, said sources from Macao.

- More than half of the 37 commercial building transactions in Seoul and Bundang occurred this year are sold to a foreign fund. According to data, RREEF, a German equity fund, bought a building in Sesomun for W260 bn in the most expensive transaction of the year.