(ATTN: UPDATES with more quotes from KBD's executive director and reactions from
Hanwha Group in paras 9-11)

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Koreans' consumer spending in the second quarter
sank to the worse level unseen since the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis and

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; ADDS more details throughout)
SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB)

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- Domestic banks are expected to help troubled carmakers
that engage in worthwhile restructuring efforts and have future growth potential,

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB)
said Sunday it can delay a deal to sell Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- A large percentage of listed companies are at risk of
bankruptcy as the economic slump affects sales and access to funds, a local think

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korean banks are seeking to increase their
capital base by a combined 16.6 trillion won (US$12.7 billion) by the end of this

SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's central bank said Sunday it will ease
rules on foreign currency loans for local large exporters to help such companies

Jakarta, Dec 27 (ANTARA) - Indonesia and New Zealand are expected to resume Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks in March 2009 after the signing of the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA in February next

Jakarta, Dec 27 (ANTARA) - The governments of Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand will soon set up a joint task force to assess investment potentials in the agribusiness/agricultural sector, a sen