Daily Kor for November 20, 2009: Just Say No

Just say no to Americans trying to renegotiate a deal that's already been signed. Just say no food to North Koreans trying to use nuclear blackmail to get their way. Just say no to suicide. No is a good word; it sets limits.

And by the way, I had no time earlier today to do the news. This is the latest I've ever done it: It's so late that the date at the top is the actual date in Hawaii. Had I done the news instead of my work, I'd have had no job. No is sometimes not such a good word.

1. US President Barack Obama's visit to South Korea continues for second day
• Obama, meeting with ROK President Lee Myungbak in Seoul, embraces South Korean leader's "grand bargain" as a means of dealing with North Korea (LAT, WaPo, Reuters via WaPo, Bloomberg, Donga Ilbo)
• Obama reaffirms his intention to complete long-stalled free-trade agreement with South Korea (NYT, Korea Times); seeks to allay Detroit concerns over FTA (Bloomberg)
• ROK Foreign Minister rules out new negotiations with US over FTA (AP via WaPo, Yonhap, UPI, Korea Herald)
• Obama greets US troops at Osan Air Base, reaffirms security commitment to South Korea (ABC News, AP via WaPo, Korea Times)

• Obama says he will send envoy to North Korea on December 8 (NYT, CNN, Joongang Daily)
• Obama's visit free of major protests (Washington Times, WSJ)
2. South Korean model Daul Kim found dead in her Paris apartment in what is believed to be suicide (AP via WaPo, BBC)
3. At least six South Koreans are injured in shooting rampage in Saipan (links here)
4. ROK government to tell banks to hold more foreign-currency assets that are easily converted into cash to prevent a repeat of 2008's funding crunch (Bloomberg); banks' long-term foreign currency funding ratios to be tightened (Reuters)
5. South Korea tries to box in KRW with new rules aiming to reduce volatility and apply limits to hedging (WSJ)
6. South Korea to ease investment rules and entry procedures for tourists (Yonhap); Seoul seeks visa waiver with China ahead of next year's Shanghai Expo (Korea Herald)
7. Special committee of the UN General Assembly condemns North Korea and Myanmar for widespread human rights violations (Reuters via WaPo, Yonhap, AP via WaPo)
8. North Korea criticizes South for barring tours to Kŭmgangsan Resort (Korea Herald)
9. South Korean demand for petroleum products rises 9.9% from a year earlier, its fastest rise this year and a sign of economic recovery (Bloomberg)
10. Amnesty International blasts Obama for failing to address human rights abuses of English teachers in South Korea (UPI)