U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice leaves Washington Saturday on a mission to South Korea, China and Japan expected to be dominated by the issue of North Korea's nuclear program. Rice Friday ruled out a stop in North Korea. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

Hana Financial Group, one of the largest financial firms in South Korea, intends to buy Merrill Lynch shares worth $50 million.

Iraq has halted crude oil exports to South Korea, in protest of an exploration deal between Korean firms and the Kurdish regional government.

The owners of a Hong Kong-registered oil tanker involved in South Korea's worst oil spill say the South Korean decision to indict the ship's officers for the incident is unjust. The owners say the crew should in fact be commended. Claudia Blume reports from Hong Kong.

“South Korea's stock exchange (KRX) and the Cambodian government have agreed to set up a stock exchange in Phnom Penh in 2009, the latest signal of the optimism sweeping the fast growing but deeply impoverished country.

South korean president elect Lee Myung-bak said he would not shy away from criticising North Korea's authoritarian regime.

South Korean officials are confirming an election result that has been expected for weeks. Former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak has apparently won the presidency by about half of the popular vote. VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul.

North and South Korea have reached more agreements on expanding links between the two countries still technically at war.

South and North Korea have agreed in principle to open a cross-border railroad for regular cargo service this year, the Yonhap news agency quoted a South Korean official as saying on Thursday.

The prime ministers of North and South Korea are trying to push forward what their presidents set in motion at last month's summit. On the opening day of talks in Seoul, the two leaders vowed to start implementing an agreement to boost already strong South Korean aid and investment in the impoverished North.

South Korea hopes talks can be started to officially end the 1950-53 Korean War when Pyongyang's denuclearization has reached a 'proper stage,' Foreign Minister Song Min-soon said on Thursday.

Senior South Korean officials say United States forces would likely remain in the country even if a potential peace agreement formally ending the 1950's Korean war is concluded. A treaty, along with the elimination of North Korea's nuclear weapons, are key goals of the ongoing six-nation negotiations in Northeast Asia.