(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; TRIMS throughout; ADDS background on Lotte Group in
final para)
By Sam Kim

SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Yonhap) -- The South Korean government on Wednesday issued
heightened bird flu warnings for overseas travelers following the spread of the

SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Yonhap) -- The government said Wednesday that it will invest 829.5
billion won (US$642 million) in information technology (IT) sector research this

SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will seek to clinch a free trade deal with
the European Union (EU) at an early date as negotiations are in their last stage,

SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has so far recovered almost 93 trillion won
(US$72.1 billion) in funds spent to rescue financial companies hit by the 1997-98

SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Yonhap) -- Sales of imported cars in South Korea rose 15.5 percent
last year, despite stubbornly weak domestic consumption, an industry group said
Wednesday.

SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Yonhap) -- Sales of imported cars in South Korea rose 15.5 percent
last year, despite stubbornly weak domestic consumption, an industry group said
Wednesday.

SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korean stocks gained 1.86 percent in late
Wednesday morning as a government stimulus measure sharply raised builders,
analysts said.

By Tony Chang
SEOUL, Jan. 7 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's conservative lawmakers blasted their
liberal counterparts Wednesday for staging violent protests at the National

(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks from a presidential spokesman; CORRECTS a typo in 8th para)
By Byun Duk-kun