DPRK Delegation Arrives in Seoul for Inter-Korean Ministerial TalksA delegation from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) arrived in Seoul Saturday to attend a three-day inter-Korean ministerial meeting.The DPRK delegation flew to Seoul via Beijing, marking the first time for DPRK officials traveling to South Korea by air. The inter-Korean ministerial meeting will open here later Saturday to discuss implementing agreements reached at the historic inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang last month. The three-day meeting at Seoul Shilla hotel is expected to center on follow-up measures to the landmark June 15 South-North Joint Declaration reached at the summit and issues of establishing inter-Korean committees on economic cooperation and social and cultural exchanges and confidence building. South Korean Unification Minister Park Jae-kyu will lead a delegation consisting of Vice Finance and Economy Minister Om Nak-yong, Vice Culture and Tourism Minister Kim Soon-kyu, Kim Jong-hwan, policy aide to the defense minister, and Suh Young-kyo, bureau director of the Unification Ministry. For the DPRK part, Jon Kum-jin, senior cabinet counselor, heads a delegation consisted of Vice Culture Minister Kim Yong-sin, Education Ministry department director Yu Yong-song, Secretariat Section Chief of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland Choe Song-ik, and Member of the cabinet secretariat Ryang Tae-hyon. The DPRK delegation is accompanied by five assistants, 10 correspondents and 15 supporting personnel The Seoul ministerial meeting is the first since the seventh inter-Korean high-level talks in May 1992. On Saturday evening, the DPRK delegation will attend a dinner hosted by South Korean Prime Minister Lee Han-dong at the hotel, where the DPRK delegation will stay during the talks. The inter-Korean ties have been warming since last month's summit between South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and DPRK leader Kim Jong Il. |
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