Consultation to Complete the Connection of Kyongui Line Before the End of This Year

The government is likely to intensively discuss the completion of connecting Kyongui line, when presidential special envoy for diplomacy, national security, and unification Lim Dong-Won visit North Korea.

A high official of the government on the 26th said, “we hope that Kyongui line would play the role of `Peace Corridor`, through which Korea advance into Europe via North Korea. We will promote the construction of the blocks in North Korea territory to be completed before the end of this year after reaching to an agreement on the connection of Kyongui line at special envoys` dialogue. ”

An authority of the government said, “North side requested special envoy Lim to take the same direct air route that Kim Yong-Sun special envoy from North Korea used when he visited Seoul. The use of land route via Panmunjom is not likely to be taken, as North Korea dislikes using Panmunjom route. ”

During the visit to North Korea, Special envoy Lim will reportedly meet National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-Il, and deliver him the letter from President Kim Dae-Jung that urges to settle the pending issues of North Korea`s nuclear and missiles through the dialogue with U.S. in order to prevent the crisis of security in 2003.

A official of the government said, “dispatching an envoy is so important that the letter delivered by the envoy can be a proper means to showing the intention of President Kim to Chairman Kim. ”

And he added, “special envoy Lim will not only play the role of the messenger of President Kim, but also make an agreement to improve the North-U.S. relation as well as South-North relation by the consultation with North Korea. ”

Chol-Hi Lee klimt@donga.com · Dong-Ki Sung esprit@donga.com