PRESS DIGEST - South Korean newspapers - Sept 3

SEOUL, Sept 3 (Reuters) - The following is a summary of major South Korean newspapers on Friday prepared by Reuters in Seoul. Reuters has not checked the stories and does not guarantee their accuracy.

KOREA ECONOMIC DAILY

South Korean construction companies won a record high $11.9 billion in construction contracts in the Middle East in July and August, according to industry sources.

MAEIL BUSINESS NEWSPAPER

Kumho Tire (073240.KS) CEO Kim Jong-ho said on Tuesday that the company would increase tire prices sometime after the third quarter this year.

JOONGANG ILBO

The CEO of General Motors' [GM.UL] South Korean unit GM Daewoo Mike Arcamone said the company would launch eight new models in the next year, six domestically produced and two imported.

(Reporting by Seo Ji-won, Editing by Jonathan Hopfner)