Loose change for December 23, 2009

 Economic news 

• Morgan Stanley says Korean banks may be more willing to finance acquisitions in 2010. 
• Seoul apartment prices rose 23.7 percent in the first three quarters of 2009.
• US military top brass are seriously concerned about North Korea having hacked into OPLAN 5027.
• Woo hoo for travelers: Korean Air and Asiana Air have recorded no accidental deaths in the past decade.
• Tariffs on forty-six goods will be lowered to help out consumers.

 North Korea news and stuff 

• The Chosun Ilbo is coming to a conclusion I did earlier, that the recent currency revaluation there could lead to regime-threatening chaos.
• The final destination of the weapons from North Korea that were intercepted in North Korea still remains a mystery. Indeed, it has become all things to all people: No matter what country you want to the US to hold something against (say, Iran), there's a sure bet someone is speculating that Axis of Evil Level One North Korea was sending weapons there. Meanwhile, the paper trail indicates that the company that chartered the flight was set up in Hong Kong in November. 
• A Fox News comedienne ponders what Barry Obama wrote in his letter to Jong-il. 
• US Special Envoy for Human Rights Peter King will visit Seoul.

 Other Korea-related stuff 

• After a successful season as a relief hitter has raised his profile, Park Chanho may leave Phillies if a good contract deal doesn't come through.
• The Joongang Daily writes about the efforts by the Education Ministry to expand public education's English education as a way to curb extracurricular education costs.
• The Joongang Daily has a focus on haejangguk, a hearty (and popular) anti-hangover remedy. The best way to stop a hangover, however, remains not getting sh¡t-faced in the first place.
• Song Hyegyo is going to star in Wong Karwai's next film.
• Freon and halon gases to be banned starting in 2010.

 Miscellany 

• Conversant in a language other than English? The US Census Bureau may need you in 2010.
• Citing things like North Korea, Ruth Marcus of the Washington Post thinks that the twenty-teen decade will be even more of a "decade from hell" than the Zeroes were. 
• Life sucks for a family being deployed from North Dakota to South Korea whose belongings were all stolen en route to the ROK. Including their Christmas presents. 
• The FBI has released its files on Michael Jackson. Why were they watching Michael Jackson? I have no idea. Maybe they liked his videos and they just couldn't get enough.
• The Chosun Ilbo has an op-ed on the need to re-examine speed limits.
• The Joongang Daily talks about how serializing a novel is being used to promote its sales.