hankyoreh

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's special train arrived in Russia's Khasan Saturday, a government source here said.
“We understand Chairman Kim's special train arrived at Khasan Station at about 10 a.m. after crossing the border between North Korea and Russia and that a welcoming ceremony is happening there,” the source said.
Kim Jong-il may begin his Russian visit on Saturday and is expected to hold summit talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in a Siberian city on Tuesday, an informed source here said. The Kim-Medvedev summit will take place at a military facility in Ulan Ude, said the source, noting an advance team from the Kremlin has already arrived in the third-largest city in eastern Siberia.
The Russian daily Izvestia also reported Friday, quoting an official of the country's presidential office, that the leaders of North Korea and Russia will meet in Ulan Ude next week.
Ulan Ude is the capital city of the Buryat Republic, Russia, located about 100 kilometers southeast of Lake Baikal, with a population of about 400,000. Major industries there are metals and machinery.

Seoul shares crash 6.22 pct on U.S., European economic woes
South Korean stocks nosedived 6.22 percent Friday as deepening fears of another global recession pummeled investor sentiment here, analysts said. The local currency fell against the U.S. dollar.
The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) tumbled 115.7 points to 1,744.88. Trading volume was heavy at 497 million shares worth 9.39 trillion won ($8.64 billion), with losers far outnumbering gainers 810 to 80.
At one point, the bourse operator halted program trading of shares on the KOSPI futures as stocks and stock futures extended declines to more than 5 percent for more than a minute.
Foreigners went on a selling spree for a third consecutive session, offloading a net 262 billion won. Institutions extended their selling streak to five sessions, while retail investors snapped up shares.
The local currency closed at 1,087.4 won to the greenback, down 13.4 won from Thursday's close, the lowest in 10 days since it changed hands at 1,088.10 won on Aug. 9, dealers said.
(Yonhap News)