Merrill Lynch talks halted over Korean price dispute

Merrill Lynch & Co's talks to sell a "significant" amount of bad loans to Korea Asset Management Corp are faltering because of a dispute over price, the Korean firm's chief executive officer said.

"We have yet to reach an agreement because of differences in assessing the value of assets," Lee Chol Hwi said on Wednesday in an interview in Seoul. "We have been seeking to buy a significant amount, but a deal may be difficult at this rate."