1. BILATERAL/MULTILATERAL ISSUES

Parties fiercely clash over US FTA [English: MGF]

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/11/116_97700.html

The National Assembly Foreign Affairs, Trade and Unification Committee failed to approve the long-pending Korea-U.S. free trade agreement (KORUS FTA), Monday, as the opposition parties blocked a meeting led by the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) members.  The GNP will attempt to hold another committee meeting today, despite the opposition parties showing no signs of stepping down.

A failure of parliamentary ratification will affect the U.S. and Korean government’s original plan for implementing the KORUS FTA on Jan. 1 next year, as this was virtually the last day for the trade pact to be passed as scheduled. The trade agreement is supposed to go into effect 60 days after ratification at both nation’s legislative bodies, and an exchange of letters between the two administrations.

Parliamentary Committee To Try To Reconvene Today Over US FTA Bill [English: MGF]

http://www.tbs.seoul.kr/eNews/news.do?method=efmNewsInfo&n_idx=52662

Grand National Party lawmakers will once again try to convene a parliamentary committee session today to pass the pending US free trade bill and send it to a floor vote. Whether the committee passes the bill, however, remains to be seen, as sources say opposition parties will try to physically block the meeting from occurring. Ruling and opposition parties are at odds over an investor-state dispute settlement, or ISD, provision in the FTA deal that allows foreign investors to bring trade dispute claims directly against the government before an international panel of arbitrators.

S. Korea, U.S. To Set Up Service-investment Panel On FTA Fallout [English: MGF]

http://www.tbs.seoul.kr/eNews/news.do?method=efmNewsInfo&n_idx=52645&currentPage=2

Korea and the United States have agreed to set up a service and investment committee to reduce any fallout from the bilateral free trade pact that may go into effect next year. Korea's foreign ministry says Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon and his U.S. counterpart Ron Kirk signed two letters that aim to address concerns related to the FTA. The committee, along with a working group to address challenges facing small and medium enterprises could also touch on a controversial investor-state dispute settlement system that is part of the FTA.

Parties inch closer to physical brawl [English: KJH]

http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/html/471/2943471.html

Summary: Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon attends negotiations on the FTA’s investor-state dispute (ISD) settlement provision at the National Assembly yesterday. The ISD provision grants investors the right to initiate dispute settlement proceedings against foreign governments. The meeting foundered after opposition parties complained that the discussion was to be aired live.

2. ECONOMIC ISSUES

Korea's Consumer Prices Grow 3.9 Pct In Oct. [English: MGF]

http://www.tbs.seoul.kr/eNews/news.do?method=efmNewsInfo&n_idx=52660

Consumer prices in Korea fell below the four-percent mark for the first time this year in October. According to the latest numbers released by Statistics Korea, the country's consumer price index rose 3.9 percent on-year last month, compared to 4.3 percent in September. The report also showed that core inflation, which excludes volatile oil and food costs, grew 3.7 percent, the slowest price increase in four months.

3. LIVESTOCK ISSUES

A Suspected Case of FMD Reported in Pohang [Korean: BYK]

http://news.donga.com/3/all/20111101/41542305/1

Summary: MIFAFF announced that it had received a report that a suspected case of FMD had been detected in Pohang, located in Southeast section of the Korean penninsula.  The owner of the farm visited China in early September but had been sanitized upon arrival at the Korean airport.  MIFAFF is undergoing confirmation tests and is expected to come out with its final report on November 1, 2011.

4. OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES

Super Supermarkets To No Longer Sell Disposable Plastic Bags [English: MGF]

http://www.tbs.seoul.kr/eNews/news.do?method=efmNewsInfo&n_idx=52629&currentPage=4

Plastic bags will no longer be available at so-called super supermarkets from next February, following similar moves at large discount chains. The Environment Ministry says it signed an agreement with companies such as Lotte Super, Homeplus Express, GS Supermarket and Kim's Club under which 80 stores voluntarily agreed to no longer sell disposable plastic bags. The ministry says it is now planning to supply more shopping baskets and reusable shopping bags at such businesses in order to ease inconveniences by customers.

Convenience stores launch sales promotions targeting "Pepero Day” (November 11) [Korean: OSY]

http://www.yonhapnews.co.kr/economy/2011/10/31/0318000000AKR20111031048700003.HTML

Summary: “Pepero Day”, November 11, has become a leading sales season for confectionery products in Korea.  Started some years ago by teenagers who exchanged Pepero (a popular, stick shaped local chocolate snack) with friends and lovers on November 11, the idea of “Pepero Day” has expanded to the mainstream consumers over a wider variety of products.  Korean retailers, in particular convenience stores, have organized special sales promotion events around the “Pepero Day” over the years.  Again this year, convenience stores are reportedly offering many products and special events to attract consumers to their stores.