NIS director makes covert visit to U.S.

Lim Dong-Won, director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS), left for the United States Sunday in order to fine-tune North Korean policy coordination between the two countries, it was learned Monday.

A diplomatic source in Seoul said that with a view to further outlining the Seoul government`s engagement policy with North Korea, point out changes in the North and coordinate policies with U.S. officials, the NIS director went to the Washington on Feb. 11 and would return home on Feb. 19. The source noted that, in view of the length of Lim`s stay in the U.S., he is expected to meet with George Tenet, director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and other U.S. officials in charge of Washington`s North Korea policy.

Noting that Korea and the U.S. have different positions on the North Korean military threat, among other things, the source said that Lim would deal in particular with this issue.

Lim`s secretive U.S. visit is viewed as strategically important, perhaps even hinting that the two Koreas have reached a broad agreement on the reciprocal visit to Seoul by North Korean Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-Il.