(ATTN: UPDATES with additional remarks, more details)
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, Jan. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said on Thursday

*** CHRONOLOGICAL REVIEW

SEOUL (Yonhap) -- The following is a chronological review of major developments
related to North Korea from Dec.25, 2008-Jan.7, 2009.

*** DATA ON NORTH KOREA

Gist of Joint New Year Editorial:
Glorify This Year As a Year of a New Revolutionary Upsurge Sounding the General
Advance (KCNA/ January 1, 2009)

*** OPINION FROM EXPERTS

NORTH KOREA'S SOUTH KOREA POLICY: EVALUATION AND PROSPECTS

By Jinwook Choi
Senior Fellow, Korea Institute for National Unification, Seoul, Korea

*** FOREIGN TIPS

Kim Jong-il in Power, Everything Normal in N.K.; Seoul's Minister

*** NEWS IN BRIEF (Part 2)

N. Korea Cautions against Foreign Investment

*** NEWS IN BRIEF (Part 1)

Kim Jong-il's Written Discourse Tops N. Korea News Stories of 2008

*** TOPIC OF THE WEEK (Part 2)

North Koreans Rally Across the Country for New Year Projects

*** TOPIC OF THE WEEK (Part 1)

N. Korea's New Year Editorial Emphasizes Economy, Denuclearization

SEOUL, Jan. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will seek to provide about 50 trillion won
(US$38 billion) in new funds to smaller companies this year to help them cope