News links for October 7, 2009

1. Pyongyang says dismantling its nuclear weapons "unthinkable even in a dream," describing as "unimaginable" any reversal of North Korea's 2003 withdrawal from the Treaty on the Non- Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, but tells China it may be ready to return to talks (Bloomberg, Yonhap)
2. Korea Labor Institute study says South Korea has undergone fastest income polarization in the OECD (Korea Times)
3. South Korea concerned that North Korea visit by Chinese premier Wen Jiabao may lead to economic deals that may complicate implementation of UN sanctions (Yonhap)
4. President Lee Myungbak may approach Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama with proposal that Korea and Japan go on daylight saving time (Donga Ilbo)
5. Korea Development Bank asks General Motors to raise more money for South Korea-based GM Daewoo or face the calling back of maturing loans and foreign exchange forward contracts (Reuters)
6. A ROK government source says that four North Korean containers that were seized in Pusan were headed to Syria and carrying items related to chemical weapons (Donga Ilbo)
7. Finance Minister Yoon Jeunghyun [윤증현] says unwinding economic stimulus policies too soon would "impede" South Korea's recovery and risk a return to recession (Bloomberg, Korea Herald)
8. South Korea's foreign exchange reserves at $254.25 billion, up for seventh straight month in September (Reuters via Forbes)
9. Bank of Korea says that ROK banks will likely continue tightening household lending standards in the fourth quarter on heavy government regulations but that loan demand will likely stay high (Reuters via Forbes)
10. Samsung expects strong Q3 profit of between 3.9 and 4.3 trillion won, or US$3.67 billion (AP via WaPo, Yonhap, Korea Times)
    
11. Producers of "Soul Train" sue Seoul government for copyright infringement, forcing name change for 600-year-old capital; top options for new moniker include Sejongville, Hub City, and Sparkle Town (BET)