Hyundai Asan chief cancels N. Korea visit, with group chairwoman in Pyongyang

SEOUL, Aug. 11 (Yonhap) -- The chief of Hyundai Asan Corp. canceled his trip to North Korea on Tuesday, a spokesman said, as all eyes were on the Hyundai Group chairwoman visiting Pyongyang to seek the release of a detained employee.

The group chief, Hyun Jung-eun, was in the North Korean capital for a second day,
a rare trip that raised hopes for a breakthrough in the case of the detained
Hyundai Asan worker as well as in stalled inter-Korean relations.
The president of Hyundai Asan, the group's North Korea business unit, was
scheduled to visit a joint park in the North's border town of Kaesong at 11 a.m.,
but the day trip was canceled, said company spokesman Kim Ha-young. The joint
park, developed by Hyundai Asan, was where the employee identified by his family
name Yu was detained in late March.
Kim played down the meaning of the cancellation. "He usually schedules visits to
Kaesong and, when other things come up, he cancels them routinely. There's no
great meaning to it," he said.
Speculation has been growing that the employee may be released during the
chairwoman's trip that continues until Wednesday. North Korea has said an
investigation was underway into the employee for accusations of criticizing its
political system and trying to persuade a local woman to defect to the South.
Hyun's visit comes after U.S. former President Bill Clinton flew to Pyongyang
last week and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. He returned home with two
freed American journalists, Euna Lee and Laura Ling from San Francisco-based
Current TV, who were detained in mid-March for illegal entry.
North Korea showed a hearty welcome to the Hyundai Group chief, opening the
inter-Korean land border for her drive-through to Pyongyang and sending a
high-level official, Ri Jong-hyok, to receive her. Speculation is high that Hyun
may be granted a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il during her visit
like she was in 2005 and 2007.