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ROK president meets DPRK delegation in Seoul

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-23 12:04

SEOUL: Lee Myung-bak, President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) held talks on Sunday morning with a delegation from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) which is visiting Seoul to pay respect to ROK's late former President Kim Dae-jung, a government official said.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak (R) greets Kim Ki Nam, Secretary of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), at the presidential Blue House in Seoul August 23, 2009. [Agencies]

During the meeting, the DPRK delivered an "oral" message from Kim Jong-iL to the South Korean President, spokesman for presidential office Lee Dong-kwan said at a press briefing.

The message was said to be about Kim Jong-iL's views on the progress of inter-Korean relations, according to Lee.

With respect to Kim's message, the South Korean president expressed his hope for continuing dialogue with "integrity," reconfirming the regime would further push for its "firm, consistent" inter-Korean policy, Lee added.

Related readings:  DPRK conveys Kim Jong-il's message to ROK  ROK president meets DPRK delegation: Yonhap  Lee Myung-bak to meet DPRK envoys on Sunday  S Korea's former President Kim Dae-Jung died  DPRK envoys hold talks with ROK minister

President Lee also asked the DPRK delegation to deliver his message to the DPRK leader, the spokesman said.

The DPRK delegates, in return, said they hoped the two Koreas will "cooperate" on every issue they face, also expressing gratefulness for the meeting, Lee said.

The meeting was said to have been held in a "serious, yet warm" mood, according to Lee.

The spokesman, however, did not identify the details of the message from Kim Jong-iL, saying "it should not be publicized as it is a sensitive issue."

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak (R) talks to Kim Ki Nam (C), Secretary of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of DPRK and Kim Yang Gon (L), Department Director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of DPRK, at the presidential Blue House in Seoul August 23, 2009. [Agencies]

An official at the presidential office said issues related to four detained fishermen or resumption of inter-Korean talks were not brought up during the meeting, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said.

The meeting was widely expected to deal with thorny inter- Korean issues, such as the fishermen hauled by the DPRK authorities on July 30 and restart of inter-Korean dialogue.

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