NORTH KOREA: A special envoy from South Korea has begun three days of discussion with North Korea to try to persuade the state's communist rulers to revive stalled peace talks, writes Miriam Donohoe, asia Correspondent.
The visit of Mr Lim Dong-won, who was met on his arrival in Pyongyang by a senior official from North Korea's peace committee, marks the first public contact between the two sides since November.
"I am going to Pyongyang to prevent the build-up of tensions on the Korean peninsula and open the channels of stalemated North-South relations," Mr Lim said before he left Seoul.
"I will convey fully President Kim's thoughts on peace and national reconciliation and listen to the views of the highest authorities in North Korea."
Mr Lim is carrying a personal message from the South Korean leader, Mr Kim Dae-jung, to the North Korean leader, Mr Kim Jong-il. He declined to make specific comments on his agenda but said he would relay to Pyongyang "matters of concern" to the US and Japan.
The South Korean Yonhap agency said Mr Lim was expected to meet Mr Kim Jong-il as early as today to convey President Kim Dae-jung's letter. Seoul's Unification Ministry said Mr Lim had met North Korean officials for "comprehensive" talks, but said it had no details on his agenda.
Mr Kim Dae-jung is keen to revive his "sunshine policy" of rapprochement which ground to a halt last year after reaching historic heights with a June 2000 summit between the North and South Korean leaders in Pyongyang.
However, North-South ties have been frosty since last year, cooling off in tandem with the deterioration in North Korean relations with the US.