President convenes security meeting ahead of talks with N. Korea

By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak convened an
unscheduled meeting of security-related ministers Monday, one day before a group
of South Korean officials were set to travel to North Korea's border town of
Kaesong for the first set of government-level talks under his administration.
"The president and the ministers reviewed preparations for tomorrow's talks and
discussed other security related issues," an official said, asking not to be
identified.
Seoul had been expected to announce its full membership in the U.S.-led
anti-proliferation regime, Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), this week,
but the announcement was put off after the communist North proposed the
inter-Korean dialogue.
In a short memo sent Thursday, Pyongyang said it had an "important message" for
Seoul regarding the joint industrial complex.
An official at Seoul's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae earlier said it was not
clear what the North wished to discuss, but noted Tuesday's meeting may not be
"too pleasant."
"We are preparing for every possible scenario," said the official, who is
involved in North Korean affairs.
bdk@yna.co.kr
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