Representatives from politics, business and civic groups meet their North Korean counterparts

2018-09-18 4

South Korean President Moon Jae-in touched down in Pyeongyang on Tuesday for his third inter-Korean summit.
He was accompanied by representatives from politics, business and civic groups.
Seo Eun-kyung has the details.
President Moon's entourage in Pyeongyang includes cabinet ministers, business leaders and civic group representatives.
They met with their North Korean counterparts on Tuesday and discussed ways to expand bilateral exchanges.

Members of the South Korean cabinet and government officials attended a meeting at the Mansudae Assembly Hall, which is the seat of the Supreme People's Assembly, North Korea's rubber stamp parliament.
The delegates from Seoul included the ministers of unification and foreign affairs, and Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon.
The North Korean side was led by Kim Yong-nam , President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly.
Kim said he hopes the summit will help realize prosperity, peace and the unification on the Korean Peninsula.

South Korean business leaders met with North Korean officials in charge of economic affairs.
Their meeting took place at the People's Culture Palace, a venue where former South Korean president Kim Dae-jung attended a welcoming banquet during the 2000 inter-Korean summit with then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

The 18 South Korean delegates, included the vice chairman of Samsung Electronics Lee Jae-yong , and the leader of Hyundai Group Hyun Jeong-eun .
They were welcomed by six North Korean officials, led by Deputy Prime Minister Ri Ryong-nam , in charge of North Korea's economic affairs.
Ri said that railway projects are the most important component of economic cooperation between the two Koreas.
At the meeting, both sides reached a broad agreement... to actively promote inter-Korean economic exchanges... once the North's nuclear issue is resolved.

Civic group representatives meanwhile, met with Kim Yong-dae , the Vice President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly.


Meanwhile, meeting scheduled between leaders from South Korea's rival parties and their North Korean counterparts was cancelled as the South Korean representatives did not show up, the reason for which remains unclear.

Seo Eun-kyung, Arirang News.