KIEV, July 3 – The merger of Kiev-based SEB Bank and Kharkiv-based Factorial-Bank into a one legal entity named SEB Bank could be finalized before the start of the second half of 2009, SEB Bank Chairman Ivan Koriakin told Interfax-Ukraine.

"It would be one legal entity. [The procedure for the merger of the two banks] has started. We hope that it would be [completed] next year, in the first half of the year," he said.