Seoul - Microsoft Corp plans to invest 60 million dollars in South Korea's software industry over the next three years, chief executive Steve Ballmer told President Lee Myung Bak Monday during a visit to the Asian country.

The world's largest software maker wants to concentrate its investment on advancing software developers and new companies in the industry, Ballmer was quoted as saying by Lee's office.

US-based Microsoft also wants to encourage these firms in their expansions to other countries, he added.

Before his meeting with Lee, Ballmer signed an investment agreement with South Korean authorities for the promotion of the software sector.

Seoul - Shares surged 1.4 per cent Monday on the Seoul stock exchange as a recent currency swap between South Korea's central bank and the US Federeal Reserve as well as new stimulus measures for the local economy boosted investor sentiment. South Korea's currency surged against the dollar.

The benchmark Kospi index rose 16.02 points to close at 1,129.08.

Advancing issues outpaced decliners 660 to 192.

The main index of the technology-heavy Kosdaq market rose 17.53 points to 325.56.

Seoul - South Korea on Monday announced a 14-trillion-won (11-billion-dollar) stimulus package as it faces its worst economic turmoil since it needed an International Monetary Fund bailout a decade ago.

Public spending is to rise next year by 11 trillion won and the package's remaining 3 trillion won would go to tax benefits, the Finance Ministry said.

Finance Minister Kang Man Soo estimated South Korea's economy would grow only 3 per cent next year because of the global financial crisis but also warned of a further slowdown.

"It will be difficult to achieve the growth if global economic conditions further worsen," he said.

Seoul  - North Korea's state-controlled media on Sunday released photos of national leader Kim Jong Il appearing in public at a football match as speculation persists about his health.

The 66-year-old watched a match between two army teams accompanied by high-ranking officials of the ruling communist Korean Workers' Party and military representatives and congratulated the players after the game, said the Korean Central News Agency, which also published a photo of North Korea's leader.

Korean Central TV aired 14 photographs of Kim at the game, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

The date and location of the match was not released.

Seoul - Shares continued their rebound Friday on the Seoul stock exchange, tracking overnight gains in the US market, after suffering heavy losses earlier this week.

However, South Korea's currency, the won, fell again, after it posted its largest gain versus the dollar in a decade Thursday on a currency swap deal between the country's central bank and the US Federal Reserve.

The benchmark Kospi index soared 28.34 points, or 2.6 per cent, to close at 1,113.06.

Advancing issues outpaced decliners 643 to 218.

Seoul - Shares surged by a record 12 per cent Thursday on the Seoul stock exchange as a currency swap with the US worth 30 billion dollars and a decreased currency account deficit in South Korea in September boosted investor sentiment.

The local currency spiked 16.5 per cent against the greenback, buoyed by the swap deal and the bullish stock market.

The benchmark Kospi index jumped 115.75 points, or 12 per cent, to close at 1,084.72, its largest ever one-day gain. The index fell more than 20 per cent last week, the biggest loss in two decades.

Advancing issues outpaced decliners 841 to 53.