A think tank says the country will need 6.5 billion to eleven billion dollars over the next decade to provide energy aid to North Korea, but will recoup its investment ten-fold.

In a column for the November issue of "Minjok 21," the chief researcher of Hyundai Research Institute predicted an economic benefit of some 113 billion from the joint agreement reached at the last round of the six-way nuclear talks.

Hong Soon-jik said the agreement's implementation will boost foreign investment through reduced national risk, lower foreign debt payment due to a credit rating hike and raise corporate value via higher stock prices.

Because of the North's growing openness and more inter-Korean cooperation, he said the North could serve as a "blue ocean" to South Korea as an engine of new growth and development.