ID :
76322
Thu, 08/20/2009 - 20:23
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/76322
The shortlink copeid
N. Korean delegation to visit Seoul to honor late Kim
SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Yonhap) -- A North Korean delegation will make a two-day trip
here to mourn the death of late President Kim Dae-jung under strict media control
access imposed by South Korea, a Seoul official said Thursday.
North Korea is sending the six-member delegation of "special envoys" Friday to
pay tribute to the former president, who left an indelible legacy on inter-Korean
relations with the historic first inter-Korean summit with North Korean leader
Kim Jong-il in 2000.
The delegation is scheduled to depart from Pyongyang on a Koryo Air flight at
around 2 p.m. and arrive at Seoul's Gimpo Airport at around 3:10 p.m., according
to the official.
The North Korean envoys will be received by officials of the Unification Ministry
and the former president's aides from the Kim Dae Jung Peace Center, a non-profit
organization in Seoul, at the airport, he said. The rank of the greeting
officials or their names could not be identified.
The delegation will be mostly off-limits to the media, except during a visit to a
memorial altar for Kim set up at the National Assembly on Yeouido, central Seoul.
The altar visit will be open to only a small circle of pool reporters and camera,
he said.
The group is scheduled to arrive at the altar from the airport at around 3:50
p.m. to pay respects to the late president and meet his family.
The delegation will then move to a Seoul hotel, where they will stay for the
night. There is no set itinerary thereafter, with the exception of the
delegation's departure from Gimpo Airport Saturday afternoon, the official said.
South Korea approved the visit by the six North Korean officials -- Kim Ki-nam, a
Workers' Party central committee secretary; Kim Yang-gon, head of the party's
unification front department; and three officials from the Korea Asia-Pacific
Peace Committee, a semi-official organ in charge of inter-Korean relations -- Won
Dong-yon, Maeng Kyong-il and Ri Hyon; and Kim Un-ju, identified as a "technical
worker" of the National Defense Commission, the powerful body overseeing North
Korea's 1.2-million-strong military.
"Other than this schedule, there's nothing else that has been set yet. North
Korea has not asked for any other itinerary," the official said.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
here to mourn the death of late President Kim Dae-jung under strict media control
access imposed by South Korea, a Seoul official said Thursday.
North Korea is sending the six-member delegation of "special envoys" Friday to
pay tribute to the former president, who left an indelible legacy on inter-Korean
relations with the historic first inter-Korean summit with North Korean leader
Kim Jong-il in 2000.
The delegation is scheduled to depart from Pyongyang on a Koryo Air flight at
around 2 p.m. and arrive at Seoul's Gimpo Airport at around 3:10 p.m., according
to the official.
The North Korean envoys will be received by officials of the Unification Ministry
and the former president's aides from the Kim Dae Jung Peace Center, a non-profit
organization in Seoul, at the airport, he said. The rank of the greeting
officials or their names could not be identified.
The delegation will be mostly off-limits to the media, except during a visit to a
memorial altar for Kim set up at the National Assembly on Yeouido, central Seoul.
The altar visit will be open to only a small circle of pool reporters and camera,
he said.
The group is scheduled to arrive at the altar from the airport at around 3:50
p.m. to pay respects to the late president and meet his family.
The delegation will then move to a Seoul hotel, where they will stay for the
night. There is no set itinerary thereafter, with the exception of the
delegation's departure from Gimpo Airport Saturday afternoon, the official said.
South Korea approved the visit by the six North Korean officials -- Kim Ki-nam, a
Workers' Party central committee secretary; Kim Yang-gon, head of the party's
unification front department; and three officials from the Korea Asia-Pacific
Peace Committee, a semi-official organ in charge of inter-Korean relations -- Won
Dong-yon, Maeng Kyong-il and Ri Hyon; and Kim Un-ju, identified as a "technical
worker" of the National Defense Commission, the powerful body overseeing North
Korea's 1.2-million-strong military.
"Other than this schedule, there's nothing else that has been set yet. North
Korea has not asked for any other itinerary," the official said.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
