S Korea hopes gas pipeline project with Russia can be launched soon.

SEOUL, September 14 (Itar-Tass) - South Korea's Knowledge Economy
Minister Choi Joong-kyung said on Wednesday the project for laying a gas
pipeline from Russia to South Korea through North Korea can be launched
soon as all parties show interest in the project.
"As Russia demonstrates huge enthusiasm in the project and North Korea
expresses no serious objections, there is a possibility that it will
proceed faster than expected," he told reporters on Wednesday.
Moscow and Seoul have been discussing the ways for exporting Russian
gas at a lower price than that by the LNG tanker shipments. However, the
stalemate was broken in this dialogue only after the recent meeting
between Russian and North Korean leaders Dmitry Medvedev and Kim Jong-il,
the Yonhap news agency reported.
Choi added that South Korea's government needs to clarify North
Korea's position in detail before finalizing the decision.
"In the near future" Russia's gas giant Gazprom and South Korea's
KOGAZ will hold talks on the issue, he said.