Loose change for December 10, 2009

 Economic news 

• Bloomberg on the "virtuous cycle" that lifts the Korean economy in times of crisis, like right now.
• South Korean producer prices fall for the seventh straight month.
• Rising KRW said to be keeping inflation in check.
• If the US doesn't want to play with South Korea and Colombia, well then South Korea and Colombia will have to play with each other: Seoul and Bogotá agree to formulate an FTA.
• Seoul to chart roadmap for East Asian economic union.

 North Korea news and stuff 

• In two separate articles, the Los Angeles Times reports on North Korea's admission that it has an H1N1 pandemic on its hands, and US envoy for North Korea Stephen Bosworth's trip to Pyongyang. 
• AP reports that the Obama administration is assuring Pyongyang of "robust" direct channels if they come back to six-party talks.
• The Wall Street Journal on the violence sparked by North Korea's currency revaluation. 

 Other Korea-related stuff 

• South Koreans' survival rate for cervical cancer among the highest in the OECD
• Hyundai's Tau V8 engine named in Ward's Auto World's "ten best engines" list, the only V8 engine to make the grade this year.
• South Korean director Park Chanwook's bloody Thirst makes it to Time's top-ten list. Just barely.
• South Korea may expand basic training for new conscripts in an effort to increase combat readiness.
• South Koreans' life expectancy tops eighty years for the first time ever. Well, for the first time since Tan'gun. 
• Seoul's proposed troop dispatch to Afghanistan has caused little stir.
• South Korea eases rules on residents with migrant work visas, allowing longer stays without a mandatory departure.
• Many college-bound South Koreans choose to take the Arabic exam as part of the CSAT, thinking it will be easier to get a high score on the curve-based exam.
• According to a survey by the Korea Alcohol Research Center, soju is the first thing that comes to mind for many Koreans when they think of alcohol. In related news, a survey by Alcoholics Anonymous reveals that soju is the first thing that comes to mind for many Koreans when they think of breakfast.

 Miscellany 

• The US Transportation Security Administration says it inadvertently revealed closely guarded secrets related to airport passenger screening practices when it posted online this spring a document as part of a contract solicitation.