ARIRANG NEWS 14:00 S. Korean companies optimistic about business opportunities after reunification

ARIRANG NEWS 14:00 It′s Monday, October 27th, here in Korea. Coming to you live from Seoul, I′m Hwang Ji-hye, filling in for Laah Hyun-kyung this week. These are the stories... we′re following at this hour. The question of whether relations between South and North Korea will arrive at a positive turning point will likely be decided this week,... with Pyongyang yet to respond to a proposal for high-level talks on Thursday... and tensions running high over cross-border propaganda fliers sent by South Korean activists. Prosecutors are expected to demand either the death penalty or life in prison... for the captain of the Sewol-ho ferry... as a criminal court winds down its trial for the crew members. And over in Ukraine... exit polls show... that the country′s pro-Western parties have won a sweeping victory in parliamentary elections. Title: As North Korea protests anti-Pyongyang leaflets, S. Korea calls for talks The prospects for a planned round of high-level talks between the two Koreas remain very much in doubt. South Korea has proposed to meet this Thursday,... but instead of giving an answer to the offer,... North Korea has AGAIN protested the anti-Pyongyang leaflet campaigns... by South Korean activists. Hwang Sung-hee reports. Responding to North Korea′s protest against the latest anti-Pyongyang leaflet campaign, South Korea on Monday urged the North to come to their planned high-level talks. "We maintain the stance that the government has no legal grounds to ban activities by civic groups. North Korea should give its answer to our proposed date and place for the second round of high-level talks, which the two Koreas have previously agreed on." Two weeks have passed since South Korea proposed to hold the second round of talks on October 30th at the border village of Panmunjom. Remaining mum on that offer, the North sent a message to South Korea′s presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae early Sunday morning, protesting the latest anti-Pyongyang leaflet campaign. The North claimed although the daytime launch of the leaflets had been scrapped Saturday, the South Korean government turned a blind eye to a group of activists who sent about 20-thousand leaflets at night. It said South Korea does not appreciate its efforts to mend inter-Korean ties and warned the high-level talks will not be held under such an atmosphere. Experts remain divided on whether North Korea will come to the negotiating table. Some say the high-level talks could be postponed until Seoul lays out a concrete solution to prevent the leaflet campaigns, while others expect the North to show up at least in early November. Hwang Sung-hee, Arirang News. Title: S. Korean companies optimistic about business opportunities after reunification South Korean companies appear optimistic about the prospects for doing business following reunification. In a recent survey by the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry of 3-hundred companies... 83 percent o