Mortsel, Belgium, 20 May 2003 - Agfa announced that Kukmin Daily, a leading newspaper publisher in South Korea, has finalised an agreement with Agfa to obtain three fully automated Polaris XDV computer-to-plate (CtP) systems, becoming the first printer to adopt CtP on the Korean peninsula. In addition to the Polaris XDV systems, Kukmin has also ordered the LP150 processor and the Nela online punch/bender system to allow automation on each of the new Polaris systems. "We are glad to choose Agfa's Polaris to help us publish the first daily newspaper that focuses on modern issues and concerns for today's Christian community," said Samuel Minje Cho, vice president, Kukmin Daily. "Agfa's Polaris will help speed us through the plate production process in order to meet the demanding press schedules that comes with running a daily publication." The Polaris XDV is a violet-laser, double-wide flatbed platesetter which offers a combination of the fastest imaging speeds, flexible plate formats and proven reliability. The Polaris XDV is the fastest system in the Polaris family, able to output more than 350 single European broadsheet plates an hour or 175 1W2L-format plates as is commonly used in Korea (depending on press size). Furthermore, the input cassettes allow the housing of over 3,000 plates of different types online (again depending on press size). The Polaris XDV offers high productivity and flexibility in a double-wide format. This format was designed specifically to meet the needs of the Korean and other markets using the long-plate "Japanese" press format. "We are very proud to introduce computer-to-plate to printers in Korea," said Joergen Vad, Graphic Systems manager ASPAC Region. "The Polaris XDV offers the high-speed imaging and reliability required for high-intensity daily production; it can meet the printing challenges of any newspaper. Kukmin Daily not only chose top-rate platesetters, but also gained Agfa's world-class knowledge base, expertise and support in the newspaper industry."