Kim Jong Il (R, Centre), top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kim Yong Nam (L, Centre), president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People's Assembly, hold a welcoming ceremony for Roh Moo-hyun (Centre), president of the Republic of Korea (ROK), on the Square of April 25 Cultural Hall in Pyongyang, capital of DPRK, Oct. 2, 2007.
PYONGYANG, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun met the top legislator of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kim Yong Nam, on Tuesday shortly after he arrived here on a three-day visit for the second inter-Korean summit.
Roh will also hold talks with the DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Il.
Roh and Kim Yong Nam met in the Mansudae Hall on Tuesday afternoon to discuss establishing a peace mechanism on the Korean Peninsula and economic cooperation between the two sides, according to South Korea's Yonhap News Agency. No details of the meeting had been released by DPRK media as of Tuesday night.
At a welcome dinner Kim Yong Nam later hosted for Roh, the DPRK's top legislator said the North and South are faced with the task of promoting bilateral ties and ushering in a new era in the cause of reunification, Yonhap reported.
Roh said in a speech at the dinner that only once mutual trust is built can peace on the peninsula last and co-prosperity be achieved, according to Yonhap.
The meeting followed a grand welcoming ceremony at which Kim Jong Il personally greeted Roh upon his arrival in Pyongyang.
Wearing his trademark army two-piece suit, Kim Jong Il shook hands with Roh, in a dark suit with a blue tie, and First Lady Kwon Yang-suk at the ceremony held on the Square of April 25 Cultural Hall. The South Korean leader, accompanied by Kim, inspected a guard of honor of the DPRK army.
Thousands of people gathered at the square to welcome Roh and his 300-member delegation. They waved pink and red flowers and cheered passionately when Roh arrived and stepped out of an open car.
Roh arrived in Pyongyang at 11:37 a.m. (0237 GMT) and passed hundreds of thousands of local residents, many in traditional costume, who lined the streets to welcome the South Korean delegation as Roh's motorcade passed through.
After the welcoming ceremony, Roh headed for the Paekhwawon State Guest House, where he will be staying during the visit.
Roh is expected to hold two rounds of talks with Kim Jong Il on Wednesday on inter-Korean co-prosperity, peace, reconciliation and reunification.
He is also scheduled to watch a mass dance and musical spectacle, the Arirang, Wednesday and visit several industrial sites in the DPRK.
Roh traveled some 200 km overland to Pyongyang and walked across the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), which separates the South and North, to dramatize his efforts towards reconciliation on the Korean peninsula.
Roh became the first-ever leader from the South to walk on foot across the border, which was established as the ceasefire line at the end of the Korean War and symbolizes more than half a century of estrangement since the war. His predecessor, Kim Dae-jung, traveled to the DPRK by air for the first inter-Korean summit in June 2000.
After the crossing, Roh and his wife were presented with flowers from local girls in traditional costume and posed for photos with them before continuing his trip to Pyongyang.
Prior to the historic step shortly after 9 a.m. (0000 GMT), Roh said in an emotional speech that he will work hard to bring about peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.
Roh's entourage includes 18 business leaders, 21 social and cultural dignitaries and 50 journalists from South Korean media. |
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