Swedish prime minister visits NK today

On May 1st, In order to report on Swedish Prime Minister Goran Persson’s visit to North Korea, a press corps had a general meeting in Sweden Embassy in Ssanritune, Chaoyang district of Peking in China.

In the press conference on visit to North Korea, Bertile, an official of Foreign Ministry of Sweden, ``North Korean officials has eagerly helped issue VISAs and cooperated to schedule for visit to North Korea,`` and ``surely, a press corps will complete successfully coverage activities.

Peder Calkist, a reporter of Swerige TV of Sweden, showed a strong desire not only to cover Prime Minister Persson’s visit, but to interview with North Korean families who have participated in reunion of dispersed family members.

No other schedule was agreed between North Korea and Sweden than a meeting on the 2nd afternoon and summit talks on next morning between Kim Jong-il, the North Korean leader, and Prime Minister Persson. It has been confidential how welcome event will be held at Sunan Airport in Pyongyang.

With regard to this, the diplomatic sources of Beijing hinted at the possibility that Kim Jong-il will receive them at the airport, saying that ``Kim Jong-il may show his good faith, considering a symbolic meaning of Prime Minister Persson, the first Western leader to visit North Korea.``

On the 1st, however, an official of Swedish Foreign Ministry said that ``there is no other schedule than meetings on which already agreed,`` and ``because North Korea officials have not yet informed, it may be known whether Kim Jong-il will greet at the airport when Prime Minister Persson arrive at Pyongyang.``

On the 3rd, two chartered airplanes will enter Seoul Airport through the direct route of East Sea. This route was first used when US senator Tony Hall went from Osan Airbase to Pyongyang on October 1999, and on last July, Abdul-Salam, a Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lybia and on last February, Sweden Prime Minister’s emissary used this route to get into Seoul from Pyongyang.

A government Official said ``North Korea probably renders to use the direct rout of West Sea between South and North, and to use the direct route of East Sea for foreigners.``

spear@donga.com