2003.10.20

N Korea dominates Apec summit. [BBC News | Asia-Pacific | World Edition] US calls for Pyongyang to resume nuclear talks are overshadowed by its test-firing of a short-range missile.   2003.10.20

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DPRK Missile (AP)   North Korea has test-fired a short or medium range missile off its coast. NGG note: Nothing to get terribly worked up about.   2003.10.20

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Job cull fears at Sony.  [BBC News | Asia-Pacific | World Edition] The world's largest consumer electronics maker is set to cut up to 20,000 jobs within three years, Japan's press reports.   2003.10.20

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Foreigners' Suffrage (Mainichi)   Foreigners (mainly ethnic Koreans born in Japan) will get to vote in many more local elections in the future.     2003.10.20

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Japan-Markets Nikkei closes up 123 points.     2003.10.20

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Japan-ROK Trade (Kyodo)   Japan, South Korea agree to start full "free trade" talks this year.   2003.10.20

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Terror, North Korea Dominate Conference (AP). Terror and security threats overshadowed pressing global economic issues at the Asia-Pacific summit today as the leaders of the United States and South Korea went behind closed doors over a new initiative to break the divided peninsula's nuclear standoff.   2003.10.20

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Bush, S. Korean Leader Discuss N. Korea (AP). President Bush conferred with the leader of South Korea today and said "we're making good progress on peacefully solving" a crisis with North Korea by offering Pyongyang written security assurances in exchange for a commitment to scrap its nuclear weapons program. 2003.10.20

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US, China bid for new Korea talks. [BBC News | Asia-Pacific | World Edition] The presidents agree at a meeting in Bangkok to push for new six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear aims.     2003.10.20

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Japan pays China gas damages. [BBC News | Asia-Pacific | World Edition] The Chinese foreign ministry says Japan will pay $2.7m following a gas leak from World War II weapons.   2003.10.20

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Bush in Asia: all about security. [Christian Science Monitor ] Bush focuses on terrorism and nuclear weapons rather than the economy.   2003.10.20

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