With songs, dances of peace, opening ceremonies kick off Millennium Games

President Kim Dae-jung hosted a luncheon at Chong Wa Dae today for visiting North Korean special envoy Kim Yong-sun, who flew to Seoul on Monday. The president exchanged views on ways to implement the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration that he and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il issued at the end of their summit talks in Pyongyang. During the luncheon, the president said, ``We are now promoting concretely what we have to." ¡°There are diverse opinions about what we are doing, but we have to translate into action the Joint Declaration without being swayed by such opinions and win the public support,¡± President Kim stressed.

In particular, he stressed that both South and North Korea should do their utmost to ease tensions.

He further emphasized that the scheduled defense ministerial talks should bolster mutual trust and understanding, so the 70 million people ¡°can sleep in peace and recover the sense of being united, while achieving a balanced development of South and North economy by invigorating the economic cooperation and cultural exchanges.¡±

The special envoy, delivering an oral message of Chairman Kim Jong-il to the president, said that he was contented with the fact that the Joint Declaration agreed in the historic ¡°Pyongyang meeting¡± (between President Kim and Chairman Kim) is being translated into reality evidently.

He also said that since the Joint Declaration is being materialized, what¡¯s important is doing the job more firmly, and the Joint Declaration should be materialized and be put forth against all odds.