PRESS DIGEST - South Korean newspapers - Aug 7

SEOUL, Aug 7 (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.

DONG-A ILBO

North Korea and Russia recently agreed to re-demarcate the border between the two countries around the Tumen River as the terrain has changed over time, a diplomatic source in Moscow said.

South Korea will issue electronic passports for the first time on Aug. 25, with concerns being raised over possible cases of forgery.

KOREA ECONOMIC DAILY

Hyundai Merchant Marine Co (011200.KS) has established subsidiaries overseas in an effort to focus on niche markets, launching this year's fourth international branch in Austria, the company said.

MAEIL BUSINESS NEWSPAPER

The domestic economy is turning sluggish, with economic indicators suggesting a contraction except for exports, the Korea Development Institute said in its monthly report.

Korea Development Bank (KDB) will put up a public notice of sale for Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (042660.KS) late this month, the KDB said.

THE HANKYOREH

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has issued a statement protesting the South Korean government's changes to the management of major broadcast media, which it said amounted to "political interference."

CHOSUN ILBO

Certain organisations and qualified individuals in North Korea will be able to get Internet service from next year according to a roadmap laid out by North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in 2002, a North Korean defector told a symposium.

President Lee Myung-bak has officially appointed new education, agriculture and healt ministers without going through parliamentary hearings, a Blue House official said.