Ex-President Postpones Visit to North

Former President Kim Dae-jung delayed his visit to Pyongyang, which had been scheduled for late April, to late June after South Korea’s May 31 local elections.

“It is appropriate to reschedule his visit to late June to avoid any political controversy,” an aide said in a statement. “Therefore, we are rescheduling the visit and will discuss it with related parties.”

Regarding the decision to delay the visit, one observer said, “North Korea seems to be slowing down the pace of communications for various reasons, including its spat with the U.S. over counterfeiting allegations, and the domestic dispute over whether Kim will go to Pyongyang on the Gyeonguiseon railway line,” which hints at the possibility that the visit was delayed because of issues at the North Korean end.

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