- Special prosecutors’ investigation on LMB is in the final phase and the result announcement draft is being drawn up, which will be made public on 22 or 23. Having visited LMB for investigation for three hours on Sunday, the team is said to clear him of any wrongdoing related to various suspicions surrounding the BBK scandal.

- Samsung investigation team hinted at summoning an ‘important figure’ this week from the company. Speculation swirls that Lee Kun-hee might be called into the prosecutor’s office.

- Public feeling toward business turned sourer compared to previous years. A poll on 2,035 adults conducted by Korea Chamber of Commerce and Hyundai Research Institute shows friendly feelings toward business in 2007 slid to 46.6 from slightly over 50 in 2006 and 48.5 in 2004. ‘Unethical management’ is the biggest reason for unfavorable feelings toward business.

- North Korea will lift a public ban on mobile phone use in Pyongyang in April, Tokyo Newspaper quoted a North Korean official in Beijing as saying. The North regime has imposed the ban since April in 2004 after an explosion in Yongcheon. It is reported the North soon expand the lift to other cities.

- The incoming government will strengthen information gathering missions of National Intelligence Service by putting more personnel and bigger budget in the mission, in order to better understand North Korea’s internal situation. It will also put more focus on nailing North Korean spies, which has been very sluggish during the two ‘pro-North’ governments.

- Nongshim, Korea’s one of the biggest snack companies, raises snack prices by 11.3 per cent, or an average W100, due to surging international wheat flour and palm oil prices.