SEOUL. Apr 29 : South Korea's largest conglomerate, Samsung, announced Thursday it has chosen Nissan Motor Co of Japan as its partner in an attempt to move into the nation's fast-growing auto industry. reports AP

Samsung's technological tie-up with Nissan Is subject to government approval. The announcement touched off hea ted debate on whether the country needs another big car company

South Korea is already the world's, seventh-largest automaking nation, it produced about 2.05 million cars in 1993. a 18.5 per cent increase from a year earlier

Samsung now is building 1.200 trucks a year with Nissan's technology. Under the new plan. It will start producing passenger cars In 1997. starting with about 50.000 cars annually and Increasing steadily.

Under the tie-up plan Nissan will provide expertise in building and operating an auto plant and establishing a sales network, Samsung offi-dala said.

Samaung-is to pay Nissan 18 6 million foliar in royalties during the first three years. Nissan also is to receive 1.6 to 1.9 per cent of the factory price for each car sold under the Samsung brand during the first five years of production

In 4 separate announcement tn Japan. Nissan said it sees its alliance with Samsung as a means of "expending Its bust-

neas foundations in Asia."

Nissan. Japan's second-largest automaker, said it would soon start developing a new model for Samsung based on one of its next-generaUon passenger cars, not shown to the public, with a two-liter engine.

Samsung, 'already an electronics and semiconductor giant, said it planned to build Its new plant either on the south coast, near its shipbuild Ing facility in Pusan. South Korea's second-largest city, or in an unspecified location on

the west coast.

industry experts say Samsung’s entry into the auto market will bring confusion to what has been largely been a three-way race among Hyundai Motor Co. Daewoo Motor Co and Kia Motor Co.

South Korean car exports increased 40 per cent to 639.000 last year, including 130.000 to the United States. The nation's automakers plan to double .thetr combing ca parity to 5.3 million cars by the year 2000.