Seoul  - Kia is offering the Cee'd with start-stop technology on the European market reducing fuel consumption and emission figures by up to 15 per cent, the South Korean car maker has announced.

The Intelligent Stop & Go (ISG) system would be offered for a price of 300 euros (393 dollars) extra for the Vision and Spirit models with the 1.4 and 1.6- litre engines.

Kia would offer the ISG technology later this year also for the 1.6-litre diesel engine and for several 2010 models.

Seoul - South Korea plans an extra budget totalling 28.9 trillion won (20.3 billion dollars) to revive the country's flagging economy, officials said Tuesday.

The measures include cheap credits, infrastructure projects, job training and help for low income groups, the finance ministry said.

The government hopes the package will lead to the creation of more than 500,000 jobs and increase growth by 1.5 per cent.

Seoul - North Korea warned Tuesday that talks on ending its nuclear weapons programme would break down if the United Nations imposes sanctions on it for a rocket launch it plans next month.

The Foreign Ministry in Pyongyang would see such sanctions as "hostile activity" and "a breach" of a 2005 six-nation agreement in which North Korea promised to dismantle its nuclear programme in return for aid.

Seoul - Two US reporters detained by North Korean border guards might be charged with espionage, a South Korean newspaper reported Tuesday.

The two women were taken to the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, for questioning a day after their March 17 arrests on the Chinese-North Korean border, YoongAng Ilbo reported.

Seoul - Shares climbed 2.4 per cent

Seoul - North Korea announced on Saturday it was reconnecting its so-called military "hotline" with its southern neighbour.

The isolated communist regime had cut the hotline two weeks ago in protest at a joint US-South Korean military exercise, deeming the troop maneouvres as preparations for a possible attack.