N. Korean leader's top aides to attend Kim Dae-jung's funeral

SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Yonhap) -- North Korea notified the South that it will send a
six-member delegation, including a party secretary and an inter-Korean relations
veteran, to the funeral of former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, Seoul
officials said Thursday.

The delegation includes Kim Ki-nam, a secretary of the Workers' Party central
committee, and Kim Yang-gon, a party department director in charge of
inter-Korean affairs, the officials said. The two are among the closest aides to
the North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
Later Thursday, North Korea will officially request South Korea's approval of the
delegation's two-day trip, they said.
A state funeral for the former president will be held at the National Assembly on
Sunday.
hkim@yna.co.kr
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