South Korean side decided on Wednesday not to extend President Roh Moo-hyun's visit in Pyongyang, pool reports said.
Top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong Il proposed on Wednesday afternoon to extend Roh's visit to Pyongyang until Friday. But the South Korean side has declined the offer.
The proposal was raised during a meeting between Roh and Kim on Wednesday afternoon, a South Korean official said at an emergency news briefing in Seoul.
Roh, who traveled some 200 km overland to Pyongyang Tuesday for the second inter-Korean summit, was scheduled to return to Seoul on Thursday.
On Wednesday morning, Roh and Kim held their first round of summit talks that lasted more than two hours. they engaged in in-depth discussions on measures to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula and cross-border economic cooperation.
The second round of their talks began at around 2:30 p.m. (0530 GMT) at the Paekhwawon State Guest House after Roh and Kim had respective lunch recess.
The summit meeting is expected to culminate with the issuance of a joint statement or a declaration of peace on Thursday morning.
The two sides will also hold working-group meetings on Wednesday to explore ways of strengthening bilateral cooperation in seven areas, including economy, culture, religion and politics, a spokesman said.
Growing economic cooperation has been a highlight of the warming relations between the North and South since the first inter-Korean summit. Joint projects have been launched in tourism, industry and other fields, including tours of Mt. Kumgang and the industrial zone in the North's border city of Kaesong.
The South Korean president is also scheduled to visit some industrial sites Thursday.
The summit is the second of its kind since the peninsula was divided more than half a century ago. Roh's predecessor, Kim Dae-jung, traveled to the DPRK for the first inter-Korean summit in June 2000.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article