Opposition lawmaker Chun visits North Korea

SEOUL, May 20 (Yonhap) -- A member of South Korea's opposition Democratic Party
(DP) is in North Korea as part of a delegation from a local civic group
dedicated to providing the communist neighbor with humanitarian aid, sources
confirmed Wednesday.

Rep. Chun Jung-bae arrived in Pyongyang earlier in the day as a member of a
delegation from the Korean Sharing Movement (KSM), Kang Young-shik, secretary
general of the group, told Yonhap News Agency. Chun, who is traveling with seven
other KSM officials, arrived via the Chinese city of Shenyang and will retrurn
home on Saturday, he said.
The delegation plans to tour a pharmaceutical company, a hospital and farms that
are receiving support from the group during their stay in the North.
Kang noted the delegates trip was approved by Seoul's unification ministry.
Chun's visit marks the first time in months that Pyongyang has allowed a South
Korean politician to enter the reclusive communist state after requests by former
unification minister Park Jae-kyu and Rep. Chung Doo-un of the ruling Grand
National Party were rejected amid frayed inter-Korean relations.
(END)