SEOUL, Aug 16 (Reuters) - The following is a summary of major South Korean newspapers on Thursday, prepared by Reuters in Seoul. Reuters has not checked the stories and does not guarantee their accuracy.

CHOSUN ILBO

- The Taliban will resume direct negotiations with South Korean officials on Thursday for the release of 19 Korean hostages in Afghanistan, according to Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi.

- Korean Air <003490.KS> said it is the subject of a class-action lawsuit by passengers accusing it of price fixing.

- Samsung Heavy <010140.KS> said it will invest 270 billion won ($289.7 million) to build a new block assembly plant by 2010 in South Korea's Gyeongsang province.

DONG-A ILBO

- South Korea is considering including the issue of developing oil fields jointly with North Korea during the inter-Korean summit, according to high-ranking government officials.

- Chrysler executive vice president Frank Klegon recently said the company is considering expanding technological cooperation with Asian companies including Hyundai Motor Co. <005380.KS>.

HANKYOREH

- South Korea is considering providing North Korea with more than 100,000 tonnes of rice aid after heavy floods damaged drops in the communist state, a government official said.

KOREA ECONOMIC DAILY

- The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers will approve North Korea's Internet country domain as ".kp" in November, according to Asian authorisation organisation .Asia.

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