Quotations of the day

Is a strike a natural disaster? (Kim Geum-Ji, who showed up at Kimpo Airport Sunday to take a Korean Air flight, commenting that he once worked for a travel agency and it was wrong for the airlines not to pay compensation for cancelled flights due to a pilots¡¯ strike, which the company claimed was comparable to a natural disaster)

It is about time that workers were duly judged on the merits of their records and abilities. (Kim Ju-Ha, an MBC announcer nominated as a new anchor for the station¡¯s New Desk program starting Oct. 30, commenting that her selection was an exceptional honor as people tend to regard anchorwomen as a phenomenon.)

The parliamentary audit of the prosecution is likely to be the most heated engagement because there are many issues to be addressed. (A Seoul District Prosecutor's Office employee Sunday, saying that office staff are going all out to prepare for the interpellations, even working on Sundays, on account of a set of scandals involving illegal Hanvit Bank loans and the Credit Guarantee Fund.)

I cherish this opportunity not so much for the prize itself, but because it will enable me to tell more people the truth about comfort women. (Kim Dae-Shil, a female director residing in the United States, upon receiving the Multiethnic Prism Award for her documentary "The Sound of Silence," an account of the agony suffered by the sex slaves under Japanese colonial rule.)

The inaction of party leader Lee Hoi-Chang is understandable, but keeping silent is not the best thing to do. (Lee Bu-Young, vice president of the Grand National Party Sunday, after sending an open letter to former President Kim Young-Sam appealing for his noninterference in political matters. The party leader tried to dissuade him from writing the letter.)

An enforced auction would give rise to a dispute over ownership. (Attorney Jeong Ju-Gyo Saturday, pointing out that membership in Yongpyong Condominium, which is registered in the name of ex-President Chun Doo-Hwan¡¯s son and has now been put up for auction in order to collect fines from Chun, may be a bone of contention.)