The purchase is done under the authorization to buy back up to 10 % of the shares, given by the Annual General Meeting. The shares will be used in connection with the employee share scheme and for bonus payments, and they will not be cancelled. The current buy-back program is limited to 500,000 shares and goes on until December 31, 2005. Norske Skog has so far bought back 147 700 shares under the authorization.