Senior officials to discuss Koreas summit

South and North Korea plan to hold a high-profile meeting in a third country soon to discuss summit prospects, a government source said yesterday, following news reports that preliminary talks were held last week.

"There have been disagreements over the venue (of the summit) at the recent working-level contact, but inter-Korean meetings will be continued," the informed source said.

"Under present circumstances, a summit could be possible next year."

Another government source said that although the two sides shared major differences, the summit, if realized, is likely to take place after the South`s local elections in June.

A nongovernmental figure who can accurately deliver President Lee Myung-bak`s ideas is expected to head the South Korean team at the upcoming talks.

Senior government officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, unification or the national intelligence agency, on the other hand, are unlikely candidates, as it is hard to keep their whereabouts a secret.



Several members of the ruling party close to Lee are reportedly being considered as possible presidential envoys.

The past two inter-Korean summits in 2000 and 2007 took place after months of advance discussions between top-level envoys from both sides.

An intelligence official confirmed that North Korea`s top point man on the South and another official involved in inter-Korean exchanges recently met with a high-ranking South Korean official before or after their trip to Beijing last week.

Kim Yang-gon, the chief of the United Front Department, an intelligence agency under the North`s Workers` party, had suggested an inter-Korean summit during his meeting with President Lee Myung-bak in August.

The North renewed its summit proposal in last week`s meeting, which was held most likely in Singapore.

The South reportedly reiterated that to hold a summit, it must see a fundamental change of attitude by the North, including on its denuclearization efforts.

The South also stressed that the third summit should be held in Seoul, as the two previous ones took place in Pyongyang, whereas the North insisted on its capital as the venue to ensure Kim Jong-il`s security.

"Neutral" locations such as the border village of Panmunjeom are being considered for the summit venue.

Inviting Kim Jong-il to next year`s G20 summit in Seoul is another option being reviewed by the South.

Seoul is refraining from making official responses to reports on behind-the-scenes contact between the Koreas, neither confirming nor denying anything.

However, Seoul appears less secretive than it was about the previous two summits - which were announced at the last minute, to public surprise - letting information leak from an early stage.

Words of advice, rather than questions, over the secret inter-Korean meetings showered the parliamentary audit of the Unification Ministry yesterday.

Legislators on the National Assembly committee for foreign affairs, trade and unification pressed Unification Minister Hyun In-taek to be more earnest in seeking a summit with North Korea.

With Seoul denying any knowledge of the reported covert meetings, lawmakers resorted to requesting and encouraging more efforts toward a summit with North Korea.

"Visible progress can`t always be the precondition for leaders of the South and North to meet," said Rep. Kim Chung-hwan of the ruling Grand National Party.

"Meeting in person helps learn and understand each other`s thoughts, so it is necessary (for Seoul) to show a proactive attitude."

Rep. Nam Gyeong-pil of the GNP called for the summit to be made an annual event.

"Inter-Korean contact and exchange have repeatedly been on and off depending on the political situation," Nam said.

"From now on, summits should be held yearly to ensure durable and stable inter-Korean relations."

Nam said South Korea should propose annual summits to the North "to confirm the true intentions behind their invitation of President Lee to Pyongyang."

Rep. Moon Hak-jin of the Democratic Party emphasized that Seoul should be more dedicated to solving current issues concerning the Korean Peninsula than to attaching one condition after another prior to dialogue.

Rep. Park Joo-seon of the DP urged Seoul to hold the summit with Pyongyang in the near future to improve ties and lead the situation at six-nation talks.

Also during the audit, Unification Minister Hyun said Seoul will resume humanitarian aid to the North, albeit in "minimal amounts."

The South is currently considering sending less than 50,000 tons of corn across the border.

The ministry said it will positively review the World Food Program?? request for about $7.5 million in emergency aid to the North struggling with food shortage.

(sophie@heraldm.com)



By Kim So-hyun