South Korea presses North Korea on nuclear issue
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-06-17 17:50

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il held a rare meeting in Pyongyang on Friday with a senior South Korean official who pressed him to address growing regional concern over North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

Unification Minister Chung Dong-young delivered a message from South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun calling for an early resolution of the nuclear crisis, a ministry spokesman was quoted as saying in a pool report from Pyongyang.

"At the meeting, they exchanged substantive views on the North Korean nuclear problem for about one hour and 30 minutes," the spokesman was quoted as saying.

Kim's response or comments were not available.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il (R) poses with South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young during their meeting in Pyongyang June 17, 2005.[Reuters]

Roh met US President Bush in Washington last week and the two renewed their commitment to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis through diplomatic means.

The meeting lasted about five hours, including lunch, at a nearby guest house, and the two were joined later by former top South Korean officials instrumental in setting up a historic inter-Korean summit in 2000, pool reports from Pyongyang said.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il (R) chats with South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young during their meeting in Pyongyang June 17, 2005. [Reuters]

"I want to see past acquaintances," Kim was quoted as saying.

Chung is expected to return to Seoul later on Friday and will brief Roh on the visit, a ministry official in Seoul said.

Government officials and analysts were encouraged by the meeting, coming at such a critical time, but said it was early to say if Kim will use it to pass a message to Washington or Seoul, or if it will lead to any breakthrough on the nuclear issue.

The talks came as delegates from South Korea were in Pyongyang to mark the fifth anniversary of the landmark summit between Kim and then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung.

Close

Space shuttle Discovery launch delayed Blair plans measures to uproot extremism Pakistan train crash carnage kills 128

Today's Top News     Top World News
Taiwan's KMT Party to elect new leader Saturday         'No trouble brewing,' beer industry insists         Critics see security threat in Unocal bid         DPRK: Nuke-free peninsula our goal         Workplace death toll set to soar in China         No foreign controlling stakes in steel firms	Judge: Saddam trial could begin next month       DPRK: Nuke-free peninsula our goal       Pakistan train crash carnage kills 128       NASA delays shuttle launch till Saturday       Annan advocates UN Council expansion now       Israel seals off Gaza Strip settlements