1. BILATERAL/MULTILATERAL ISSUES

National Assembly Introduces 14 Bills Needed to Implement KORUS FTA [Korean: BYK]

http://www.segye.com/Articles/News/Politics/Article.asp?aid=20111024004995&subctg1=&subctg2=

Summary: The Standing Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Marine Affairs introduced 7 bills that are needed to implemented the KORUS FTA.  The Standing Committee on Knowledge and Economy also introduced 7 bills that fall under their responsibility on October 24.  The bills introduced by the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Marine Affairs include revisions to the Special Act on Support for the Farmers and Fishermen due to the implementation of the FTA, Farmland Act, Act on Marketing and Stabilization of Agriculture and Fisheries Products, Act on Rice Income Compensation, Act on Pasture Land, etc. 

Finance minister calls for swift passage of FTA with U.S. [English, HYD]

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/business/2011/10/25/81/0502000000AEN20111025003700320F.HTML

Summary: SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's top economic policymaker called upon the government and parliament Tuesday to step up their cooperation in swiftly ratifying the long-pending free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.  The trade deal between South Korea and the U.S., known as the KORUS FTA, was signed in 2007 and supplemented in December of last year with minor modifications that mostly dealt with the auto industry.  Recently, the U.S. Congress passed the deal but it has been awaiting approval from South Korea's parliament in the face of strong outcry from opposition parties that claim the latest modifications favor American interests.

Rival Camps Remain Divided over FTA Ratification [English, MGF]

http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_Po_detail.htm?No=85510&id=Po

Summary: The National Assembly's Committee on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification held its last round of debate on ratifying the trade pact on Tuesday, but ruling and opposition parties once again failed to narrow their differences.  Rival camps have decided to re-address the pact after the by-elections on Oct 26.

2. LIVESTOCK ISSUES

Oversupply drives down pork prices [English, MGF]

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2011/10/123_97162.html

Summary: Pork prices have nosedived over the past four months due to market oversupply and falling demand in the wake of the ongoing economic slowdown, a local research organization said Sunday.

Foreign tourists say samgyeopsal is their favorite Korean food. [English, MGF]
http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_Dm_detail.htm?No=85495&id=Dm

Summary: The Seoul city government conducted a survey on two-thousand tourists and more than a fourth responded that samgyeopsal, a cut of pork belly consisting of three layers of meat and fat, is their favorite Korean dish.

3. MARKETING ISSUES

Price Survey Finds Big Difference in Mark Ups Take on a Bottle of Montes Alpha Cab. Sauvignon Sold in Seoul [Korean, OSY]

http://news.donga.com/Economy/Market/3/0108/20111024/41364429/1

Summary: Retail price of a bottle of Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the most popular wine to local wine drinkers, in different food and beverage outlets in Seoul varies widely from 43,000 up to 100,000 won, according to a price survey administered by the Donga Daily Newspaper recently.  The survey indicates that most of the restaurants in Seoul are taking a heft mark up on wine.