PRESS DIGEST - South Korean newspapers - Aug 20

SEOUL Aug 20 (Reuters) - The following is a summary of major South Korean newspapers on Thursday prepared by Reuters in Seoul. Reuters has not checked the stories and does not guarantee their accuracy.

CHOSUN ILBO

After a meeting held Wednesday evening, government officials announced a six-day state funeral would be held for late former President Kim Dae-jung.

China's pointman on the six party talks on North Korean nuclear issues, Wu Dawei, finished a three-day visit to North Korea and returned to China on Wednesday.

Provincial governments are currently competing to lure members of disgraced scientist Hwang Woo-suk's team of scientists to gain future cloning technology rights.

The Korea Power Exchange said national power demand reached an all-time high of 63.2 million kilowatts at 0600 GMT on Wednesday.

MAEIL BUSINESS NEWSPAPER

According to the South Korean customs service trade between North and South Korea has been continually decreasing for 11 months, reaching $140 million in July, a 78 percent drop from the same month last year.

The Bank of Korea said Wednesday foreign currency transactions in the second quarter increased for the first time in 15 months, reaching a daily average of $44.4 billion, a 13.6 percent jump from the same period in 2008.

DONGA ILBO

The government is looking into lowering the 40 percent tariff on finished imported products containing sugar to 20 percent to cut costs for consumers, a finance ministry official said Wednesday.