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South Korea - message from the north
NKorea delivers message as former SKorean president is buried
Article published on the 2009-08-23 Latest update 2009-08-23 10:01 TU
Lee Myun-Bak (R) and two North Korean envoys at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, 23 August 2009
(Photo: Blue House handout via Reuters)
A delegation from North Korea delivered a message to South Korea from leader Kim Jong-Il in the first high-level talks between the South and the North since President Lee Myung-Bak took office last year. There were no details provided about the verbal message, but it might signify warming ties between the two sides. The six-person delegation was in South Korea to pay respects to former President Kim Dae-Jung, who died Tuesday.
The message from the North Korean leader was about "progress in inter-Korean relations", according to the chief presidential spokesman Lee Dong-Kwan, who did not elaborate.
He said that Lee Myung-Bak "explained the consistent and firm principles of the
[South Korean] government's North Korea policy and asked the North's delegation to relay them" to Kim Jong-Il, he said.
"I'm leaving with good feelings," said Kim Ki-Nam, a close aide to Kim Jong-Il, to reporters after the talks.
Since he took office 18 months ago, President Lee has taken a tough stance against North Korea, putting aside the so-called “sunshine” policy introduced by Kim Dae-Jung at a summit in 2000, which promoted aid and engagement with the North.
Tension has been high as North Korea has tested missiles this year, which angered the United Nations and brought more sanctions down on the country.
The North Korean delegation left shortly before the start of the state funeral for Kim Dae-Jung, who died Tuesday at the age of 85.
More than 20,000 people attended the ceremony outside parliament, including a ten-person US delegation led by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.
The South Korean government has declared six days of national mourning.
The hearse carrying former President Kim Dae-Jung's body leaves Soul City Hall Plaza for the national cemetery, 23 August 2009
(Photo: Reuters)
