Steel Partners' Lichtenstein quit from KT&G board

SEOUL, March 14 (Reuters) - U.S. investor Warren Lichtenstein, who leads Steel Partners, quit on Friday as an outside board member of South Korea's top tobacco maker KT&G (033780.KS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), a year before the end of his three-year term.

KT&G said in a public disclosure to the Korea Exchange that the departure was for a personal reason.

Kim Tae-hoon, a spokesman for the tobacco maker, said by telephone that the decision follows the South Korean company's efforts to boost shareholder value and its agreement to requests from the U.S. investment group to sell non-core assets.

(Reporting by Kim Yeon-hee; Editing by Keiron Henderson)