SEOUL -(Dow Jones)- KT Corp. (NYSE:KTC) (KTC), South Korea's largest fixed-line and Internet service operator by revenue, Tuesday raised its operating profit forecast for 2006 to more than KRW1.7 trillion, from an earlier projection of KRW1.6 trillion.

"We're raising our target after strong performance in the nine months (to Sept. 30)," the company said in a regulatory filing.

KT earlier Tuesday said its third-quarter net profit rose 4% to KRW317.6 billion, beating market expectations of KRW215.5 billion.

-By In-Soo Nam, Dow Jones Newswires; 822-721-0583; In-Soo.Nam@dowjones.com

-Edited by Craig Lewis

    (END) Dow Jones Newswires   11-07-06 0236   Copyright (c) 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.