Jeju Ilbo
1. Environment
Doubts over 3rd round of pine wilt control
Skeptics say the current state of local forests has not been fully examined and that the soon-to-be-conducted pine wilt control efforts may end up failing just like the last one.

2. Society
Airport demand outpacing capacity
Despite recent runaway renovations and terminal extensions, the number of passengers using Jeju International Airport far exceeds its current capacity. The paper says there is an urgent need for something to be done.

Jemin Ilbo
1. Education
Middle school designation plan revised
Elementary school students will be assigned middle schools when they graduate. The Jemin Ilbo is reporting that the parents of many students didn’t agree to this change and that authorities have now allowed the students at some elementary schools to choose where they want to go, while pupils at others will be assigned their middle schools.

2. Society
Prosecutors expand corruption investigation
The prosecution has expanded its investigation into a corruption scandal involving misused subsidies meant for the horse industry. The head of an unnamed social enterprise was recently arrested on fraud charges and further allegations have now surfaced that the company may have misused subsidies set aside for the equine sector.

Yonhap
1. Economy
Bank of Korea freezes key interest rate in October
Yonhap is reporting that South Korea's central bank on Thursday held its key interest rate steady for a fourth month amid growing uncertainties from the world's two largest economies and budding signs of a recovery in domestic demand. The Bank of Korea froze its base rate at a record low of 1.50 percent for October.

2. Society
Park seeks cooperation with US in R&D, engineering
President Park Geun-hye called Wednesday for close cooperation between South Korea and the United States in research and development and engineering, which Seoul sees as the key to innovations in the manufacturing sector.