Presumptive Meeting of Inter-Korean Dialogue In ARF

Foreign Minister Han Seung-Soo will depart for Hanoi today to participate in the Foreign Minister Meeting of the `ASEAN + Korea, China, Japan` and the Asian Regional Forum and the PMC of the ASEAN.

Minister Han will explain at this meeting the progress of the Inter-Korean relationship since the Inter-Korean summit last year and request the support of the ASEAN members for the second Inter-Korean summit talk as soon as possible. He will try his best effort for the adoption of the `Korean item` in the Declaration at the end of the Meeting.

Mr. Han is also planning to meet with North Korean circuit ambassador Huh Jong any time to discuss the resumption of the Inter-Korean dialogue and the mutual cooperation in the international society.

In addition, Minister Han will talk about the Korean situation and the problems of the North Korean defectors with Chinese Foreign Minster and the problems of the distorted history textbooks and the fisheries disputes with Japan`s Foreign Minister.

Since Colin Powell will visit the South for two days from July 27, there is no fixed schedule for the Korea-U.S. Foreign Ministers Meeting.

The Foreign Ministers will discuss the countermeasures against the international criminals such as pirates, small weapons, illegal immigration, and also adopt the 3 major documents about the preventive diplomacy, the strengthening of the chairperson`s function, and the registration of the experts and celebrities to expand the function of ARF.

Kim Young-Sik spear@donga.com