PRE-MARKET JAPANESE AND SOUTH KOREAN STOCKS NEWS: Kanadevia (7004 JT) and Nippon Steel (5401 JT) unit Nippon Steel Engineering announced the start of talks toward a merger

Aisin (7259 JT) -  Co. will set up a Canadian joint venture with Toyota Tsusho (8015 JT) and Minth Group (425 HK) to manufacture aluminium components for electric vehicles. (Nikkei)

Kanadevia (7004 JT) - Co. and Nippon Steel (5401 JT) unit Nippon Steel Engineering announced the start of talks toward a merger that would create a company with over JPY 1tln in sales. (Nikkei)

Kirin Holdings (2503 JT) - Co. is to sell Four Roses bourbon brand to US winemaker E. & J. Gallo Winery for USD 640mln. (Nikkei)

MCJ Co (6670 JT) - Co. is to launch a USD 1.3bln management buyout with Bain. (Nikkei)

Nishi-Nippon Railroad Co (9031 JT) - Co. is to build homes in Manila suburbs. (Nikkei)

Japan's ruling parties could win over 60% of seats in the lower house election, according to a Nikkei poll. (Nikkei)

CJ Cheiljedang (097950 KS) - Co. is to cut sugar and flour prices to help curb inflation. (Yonhap)

KT&G Corp (033780 KS) - Co. Q4 (KRW) net fell 15.7% Y/Y to 274.2bln, oper. profit rose 17% Y/Y to 248.8bln, rev. rose 10.1% Y/Y to 1.71tln. (Yonhap)

Lotte Shopping (023530 KS) - Co. FY (KRW) consolidated operating profit rose 15.6% Y/Y to 547.0bln, consolidated sales fell 1.8% Y/Y to 13.7tln. (ChosunBiz)

Naver (035420 KS) - Co. Q4 (KRW) net fell 68% Y/Y to 164.6bln (exp. 563.7bln), rev. rose 10.7% Y/Y to 3.19tln. (Yonhap)

White House Press Secretary said she does not have a timeline regarding South Korea tariffs. (Newswires)