Daily Kor for Tuesday, July 5, 2011: The mega-mecca-hub strategy

We're going into full press now in the run-up to who will get the 2018 Winter Olympics. American Olympic athlete Toby Dawson, a Korean adoptee, is shilling for Pyongchang. Even the North Koreans are holding a rally in support of Pyongchang getting the games. Oh, wait. Scratch that (story #3).

1. ROK Marine conscript on forward-deployed Kanghwa-do Island goes on shooting spree, killing four and injuring one before trying to kill himself with a grenade (Reuters, BBC, UPI, AFP, Marmot's Hole, Yonhap, Joongang Daily, Korea Times, Korea Herald, Donga Ilbo)
2. European Commission says it will give North Korea €10 million (US$14.54 million) worth of strictly monitored food aid to tackle famine (Reuters, AP via WaPo, NYT)
3. 100 thousand students, soldiers, and officials gather in Pyongyang to denounce South Korea's Lee government (AP via WaPo, AFP, Reuters, Yonhap, KCNA)
4. Speaking in South Africa, President Lee Myungbak says it's his "duty" to bring Winter Olympics to South Korea and create a mecca and hub for winter sports (AP via WaPo, Reuters, Yonhap)
• Pyongchang, Munich, and Annecy begin three days of frantic campaigning (AP via WaPo)
• Pyongchang cautiously optimistic (Korea Herald)
• IOC awards SBS rights to host Olympics through 2024 (AP via WaPo)
5. ROK Navy chases three suspected pirate vehicles away from South Korean commercial vessel in Somali waters (AP via WaPo, Korea Times)
6. Outspoken Hong Joonpyo elected new chair of ruling Grand National Party (Yonhap, Joongang Daily, Korea Times, Korea Herald)
7. Financial Services Commission announces plan to assess troubled savings banks in order to pick out unviable ones by late September, with warnings they could suspend more small lenders if they fail checks (Reuters, Bloomberg, Yonhap)
8. Pet store association warns of consequences from irresponsible inbreeding conducted by on-the-street pet vendors (Yonhap)