Kim Jung-Il Wants to Resume Dialogue

North Korean leader Kim Jung-Il expressed his will that, “ I want to have a frank dialogue with South as soon as possible.” Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri, who visited Pyongyang from March 28 to 30, delivered this message to President Kim Dae-Jung.

“Chairman Kim presented his will to resume a dialogue after receiving South Korean government`s message, which hopes a dialogue with North,” President Megawati said at a summit meeting with President Kim on 30th.

According to Lim Sung-Joon, top secretary to the President on foreign affairs and national security, President Megawati also said, “I received the impression that North Korea has a concrete plan on South-North dialogue.”

“I felt that Chairman Kim wants to actualize rapid progress in South-North relations. He has a very amicable and strong will on this issue,” said President Megawati in a joint news conference after the summit talk. However, she did not mention Chairman Kim and North`s responses to the issue of North-U.S. dialogue.

Korea and Indonesia decided to cooperate in information technology (IT) area, including mobile communication business, and to expand trade in the summit meeting. They concluded the treaty of judicial cooperation on criminal cases and the agreement of resource cooperation.

After the summit meeting, President Megawati met with Lee Hoi-Chang, president of the Grand National Party, to discuss South-North issues and measures promoting amity between Korea and Indonesia.

Chol-Hi Lee klimt@donga.com · Yeon-Wook Jung jyw11@donga.com