S. Korean envoy to Russia expresses willingness to contact N. Korean counterpart

Ruling Saenuri Party Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun said Friday he was willing to have contact with a North Korean envoy if has a chance. He will visit Russia to attend Russia`s World War II victory ceremonies on Saturday as a special envoy of South Korean President Park Geun-hye.

"I do not plan to offer North Korea a contact first but will convey a message that the Park administration is willing to mend fences with the North through sincere dialogue if the North offers to meet or if I have a chance to meet with a North Korean envoy naturally," said the special political advisor for the president.

According to diplomatic sources, Yoon has coordinated with the government to determine the content and level of the message he would convey to the North in case an inter-Korean contact takes place in Russia. Russian media reported that a North Korean delegation led by the communist state`s titular leader Kim Yong Nam will visit Moscow for three days from Friday.

Asked if he has a message or a letter from President Park to be sent to the North, Yoon said, "Basically, I am going to Russia to congratulate it on the war victory day events," adding he has no personal message from the South Korean leader.

Some experts predict that the two Koreas will make a contact of any kind, considering that Yoon has repeatedly stressed the need for behind-closed-door contact between the two Koreas to practically resolve issues and that he is one of the South Korean president`s close confidants.

Still, it is said that the two Koreas did not have any advance consultations for a possible contact in Moscow. Therefore, some other experts say that even if the envoys from the two Koreas meet in Russia, it would be hard for them to have concrete dialogue. Kim Yong Nam attended the Asian-African Conference held in Indonesia last month but did not contact the South Korean envoy, Deputy Prime Minister Hwang Woo-yea.

zeitung@donga.com