PRESS DIGEST - South Korean newspapers - Aug 29

SEOUL, Aug 29 (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.

MAEIL BUSINESS NEWSPAPER

South Korea is expected to become a net debtor as early as in July, with its net external credit declining to 2.7 billion dollars as of June, according to the report of Bank of Korea.

Hyundai Asan, a tour operator to North Korea, newly named a former unification ministry official as head of the company, as the former CEO stepped down over the recent shooting death at the Mount Kumgang resort.

KOREA ECONOMIC DAILY

U.S. Republican National Convention has named LG Electronics Inc. (066570.KS) official HDTV provider, the 2008 Republican National convention official said.

The National Pension Fund asks for about a 10 percent return on its investment in Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering 024660.KS and put-back option, according to the industry.

Executives of former LCD unit of Hynix Semicondeucter Inc (000660.KS) were indicted for passing on core technologies to China's BOE Optoelectronics Techonology (BOE OT), according to the prosecutor.

SC First Bank will downsize headquarters' business and relocate staff to branches, the bank said.

DONG-A ILBO

South Korea's Unification Ministry is said to have decided not to immediately offer aids to North Korea as requested by United Nations' World Food Programme, according to a government official.

U.S. Forces in South Korea have asked South Korea to increase the share of defence expenses South Korea makes for the U.S. military presence by 14.5 percent, according to data released by the ruling Grand National Party.