(3rd LD) N. Korean delegates lay wreath at Kim's altar

(ATTN: UPDATES with delegation's visit to altar)
By Kim Hyun
SEOUL, Aug. 21 (Yonhap) -- A high-level North Korean delegation paid respects to
late former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung at an altar set up at Seoul's
National Assembly on Friday, starting a two-day trip that offers a rare chance
for official inter-Korean dialogue after months of tension.
Following their arrival in Seoul on a special plane, the six-member team offered
a wreath carrying a message that reads, "In memory of late President Kim
Dae-jung," along with the name of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, to the former
president's memorial altar.
Led by Workers' Party secretary Kim Ki-nam, the officials bowed their heads in
silent prayer in front of the late president's portrait, after which they shook
hands with each member of Kim's bereaved family and aides.
"Commemorating President Kim Dae-jung, who protected justice and followed
conscience to leave an indelible legacy to the Korean people," the party
secretary wrote in the guestbook.
The trip marks the first visit by North Korean officials to the South during the
18 months of the conservative Lee Myung-bak government. Seoul banned media access
to the North Koreans.
Kim Dae-jung, who died from complications of pneumonia on Tuesday, held the
historic first inter-Korean summit with the North Korean leader in 2000. His
sunshine policy facilitated broad inter-Korean exchanges and aid to develop the
North's dilapidated economy, moves that were rolled back by Lee.
North Korean media called them a "special envoy group" sent by Kim Jong-il. The
group includes Kim Yang-gon, head of the party's unification front department and
a key figure in inter-Korean relations. The group headed directly to the altar
after arrival at Seoul's Gimpo Airport.
Seoul officials said no meetings with President Lee were scheduled but left the
possibility open.
"We are going to decide according to the situation after they have arrived," said
a senior official at the presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, requesting anonymity.

Other specifics of their itinerary, including where they will stay and whom they
are scheduled to meet until their departure Saturday afternoon, were not
disclosed as Seoul has imposed strict restrictions on media access for "security
reasons."
In another conciliatory move, North Korea lifted restrictions on South Korean
workers traveling to a joint industrial park in its border town of Kaesong and
reopened an inter-Korean railway linked to the park. It also reconnected a direct
communications channel operated by the Red Cross at the truce village of
Panmunjom Friday morning, Seoul officials said. The restrictions were imposed
late last year to protest Seoul's hardline policy, straining output at the
business park that hosts more than 100 South Korean firms operating with about
40,000 North Korean workers.
Conservative South Korean activists protested the North Koreans' trip and
demanded an apology for Pyongyang's detention of South Koreans. Four South Korean
fishermen have been detained since late July after their boat strayed into North
Korean waters.
"Apologize immediately!," read a placard brought by one of the activists, Choi
Sung-yong, at the airport.
Pyongyang has recently changed course from months of provocative behavior marked
by a long-range rocket and nuclear tests. The U.N. Security Council froze assets
of several North Korean officials and entities for their alleged connection to
nuclear and missile programs.
The change in attitude was reflected during visits to Pyongyang by former U.S.
President Bill Clinton and South Korea's Hyundai Group Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun
earlier this month, each of whom had hours of talks with the reclusive North
Korean leader and won the release of detained citizens.
In the United States this week, North Korean envoys to the United Nations visited
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who has a long history of negotiations with
Pyongyang. Richardson urged the Barack Obama administration to begin dialogue
with Pyongyang.
"My point here is this is the time to negotiate with them, in a tough way,
possibly bilaterally, face-to-face, but within the six-party talks, which is
consistent with our policy," the former U.N. ambassador told the Fox News Channel
after the meeting.
"Kim Jong-il, you know, he looks like he's turning over power to one of his sons,
so possibly there is the potential for a change. We don't know that, but my point
is it's best to talk to them and not to isolate them. Isolating them has not
helped," he said.
In the meeting with the Hyundai chief, Kim agreed to "energize" inter-Korean
projects, a promise that appears to be now implemented. Hyundai is a major
investor in the North, with US$1.2 billion spent on its joint projects.
Meanwhile, South Korea proposed inter-Korean talks to set up family reunions that
have been suspended for nearly two years.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)