- Chung Dong-young said in an interview with the paper, “if elected, I will definitely make US-NK diplomatic relations normalized within Mr. Bush’s term.”

- Nine banks which own 36 per cent of Hynix shares decided not to sell shares until the Hynix sales process is completed to prevent share price from falling. Originally they were not going to sell shares by the end of this year.

- The government declares the oil-affected west-sea areas as a disaster zone.

- All of the recent opinion polls point that Chung Dong-young slightly leads Lee Hoi-chang by a few points.

Separately they all show people’s distrust in the prosecutor’s investigation results on the BBK scandal. MBC poll found out 51.7 per cent of respondents say they don’t trust the investigation results and Kookmin Ilbo research also showed 56 per cent said prosecutors made a ‘political decision.’ 55.2 per cent of respondents didn’t think prosecutor’s probe properly clarified allegations surrounding LMB, according to Hankyoreh poll.

- Eugene Group is chosen as a preferred bidder for the takeover of Hi Mart, the nation’s biggest consumer electronics retailer. The company offered W1.95 trillion, lower than W2 trillion offered by GS group, but to let the current management continue managing the company, minimize restructuring and increase investment.

- Local banks seem to focus more on sustainability rather than growth and competition next year. In order to cut unnecessary spending, Kookmin Bank starts PPR (Paperless Process Reconstruction) project from January next year, which is expected to save billions of wons and increase work efficiency, and halve the ad budget to W30 bn from the current W60 bn. Shinhan Bank continues its branch restructuring programs into next year by removing or merging them. Woori and Hana banks also plans to reduce unnecessary spending next year.

- Chung Dong-yong and Moon Kuk-hyun’s plan to forge an alliance seems to practically fall flat.

- Lee Hoi-chang said he will create a new party next year, hinting that he sees beyond the presidential election and sets his eye on increasing political influence in the next year’s general election.

- The government is said to be working on holding working-level talks on economic and energy assistance for NK in Beijing possibly on 11th or 12th this week.