News links for October 10, 2009

1. Japanese PM Hatoyama and South Korean Pres Lee Myungbak meet in Seoul; vow no aid for Pyongyang unless North Korea disarms (NYT, BBC with video, Reuters, VOA, AP via WaPo, UPI, Yonhap)
2. President Lee heads for Beijing for three-way talks with Japanese and Chinese leaders (Yonhap)
3. Statue of Great King Sejong is unveiled at newly revamped Kwanghwamun Plaza in central Seoul (Yonhap, AFP)
4. Bank of Korea holds benchmark interest rate at 2% for eighth consecutive month; stocks close 1.94% higher (Bloomberg, WSJ, AP via WaPo, Yonhap)
5. Sixty-eight-year-old man becomes South Korea's twelfth official death from H1N1 "swine flu" (Yonhap)
6. State-run Korea National Oil Corp (KNOC) says it's eyeing five to ten oil companies overseas, each producing 50,000-100,000 barrels per day, for possible purchase; says an acquisition may be "soon" (Reuters)
7. South Korean Ambassador to the US Han Ducksoo tells National Assembly that American ratification of the Korea-US FTA is possible after healthcare debate ends (Joongang Daily)
8. Ghana defeats South Korea, 3-2, in U20 (under-twenty) World Cup, ending ROK's chance to move to semifinals (USA Today, BBC, Yonhap)
9. The Swedish Academy awards Nobel Prize in Literature to Winona, Minnesota, third-grader Christine Wigen for her seminal work "Trudy, My Pet Turtle," citing the gifted young writer's great promise and depth of prose (AP via WaPo)