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Korea summit to aid nuclear issue | Korea summit to aid nuclear issue |
(about 10 hours later) | |
South Korea says that a planned summit with North Korea will aid international efforts to end the country's nuclear programme. | South Korea says that a planned summit with North Korea will aid international efforts to end the country's nuclear programme. |
Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung said the meeting was an important opportunity to discuss the issue. | Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung said the meeting was an important opportunity to discuss the issue. |
The summit, only the second ever between the two sides, is set to take place between 28-30 August. | The summit, only the second ever between the two sides, is set to take place between 28-30 August. |
Key nations have welcomed the move, but South Korea's opposition party has called it an election stunt. | Key nations have welcomed the move, but South Korea's opposition party has called it an election stunt. |
South Korean leader Roh Moo-hyun has less than six months left in office, with presidential elections set for December. | South Korean leader Roh Moo-hyun has less than six months left in office, with presidential elections set for December. |
The two Koreas held their first leaders' summit seven years ago, a meeting that brought improved ties between the two sides, who remain technically at war. | The two Koreas held their first leaders' summit seven years ago, a meeting that brought improved ties between the two sides, who remain technically at war. |
Land crossing | Land crossing |
Officials will meet in the border city of Kaesong to formalise an agenda for the meeting. | Officials will meet in the border city of Kaesong to formalise an agenda for the meeting. |
THE TWO KOREAS 1910: Korean Peninsula colonised by Japan1945: Divided into US-backed South and Soviet-backed North1950-1953: Korean War, no peace deal signed1987: North Korea bombs a South airliner, killing 1151990s: South Korea introduces conciliatory Sunshine Policy2000: Kim Jong-il and Kim Dae-jung hold first leaders' summit Bringing the Koreas closer Send us your comments href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6938610.stm">Press reaction | |
But Mr Lee said that the summit "will be a very important opportunity for the heads of South and North Korea to actively resolve the North Korean nuclear issue and improve inter-Korean relations". | But Mr Lee said that the summit "will be a very important opportunity for the heads of South and North Korea to actively resolve the North Korean nuclear issue and improve inter-Korean relations". |
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun would also ask to use restored cross-border transport links to travel to Pyongyang, Mr Lee said. | South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun would also ask to use restored cross-border transport links to travel to Pyongyang, Mr Lee said. |
His predecessor, Kim Dae-jung, flew to Pyongyang for his summit, but Mr Lee said that he believed North Korea would accept a request for Mr Roh and his entourage to travel by land. Cross border roads exist and in May, a pair of passenger trains made a one-off crossing over the heavily fortified border - for the first time in more than 50 years. | His predecessor, Kim Dae-jung, flew to Pyongyang for his summit, but Mr Lee said that he believed North Korea would accept a request for Mr Roh and his entourage to travel by land. Cross border roads exist and in May, a pair of passenger trains made a one-off crossing over the heavily fortified border - for the first time in more than 50 years. |
South Korea has been pushing for the North to allow more regular transport into and through its territory. | South Korea has been pushing for the North to allow more regular transport into and through its territory. |
Key nations have welcomed Wednesday's surprise announcement, expressing hope that it will benefit the ongoing denuclearisation process. | Key nations have welcomed Wednesday's surprise announcement, expressing hope that it will benefit the ongoing denuclearisation process. |
Last month, Pyongyang shut down its main Yongbyon reactor as part of an international aid-for-disarmament deal. Officials are now hammering out details of the next phase of the deal. | Last month, Pyongyang shut down its main Yongbyon reactor as part of an international aid-for-disarmament deal. Officials are now hammering out details of the next phase of the deal. |
However the Grand National Party, South Korea's main opposition party which advocates a tougher line towards North Korea, has rejected the summit as a ploy aimed at December's presidential polls. | However the Grand National Party, South Korea's main opposition party which advocates a tougher line towards North Korea, has rejected the summit as a ploy aimed at December's presidential polls. |
"One suspects that South and North Korea have agreed to hold a summit because the presidents of both countries have the December presidential election on their minds," the JoongAng Ilbo daily said in an editorial. | "One suspects that South and North Korea have agreed to hold a summit because the presidents of both countries have the December presidential election on their minds," the JoongAng Ilbo daily said in an editorial. |
But other newspapers gave the summit a guarded welcome, the French news agency AFP said. | But other newspapers gave the summit a guarded welcome, the French news agency AFP said. |
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