Leaders of the Korean Peninsula are expected to exchange views on the issues of common prosperity at the inter-Korean Summit due to start next month, according to Lee Suhoon, chairman of the Presidential Committee on Northeast Asian Cooperation Initiative of the Republic of Korea (ROK).
On the sidelines of the fifth Sino-Korean Strategic Dialogue, which ended in Beijing on Tuesday, Lee said the ROK delegation would try to convince their counterparts from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) that they would benefit from opening up to the outside world.
The chairman said the ROK side would especially hope to facilitate the development of two special economic zones, the Sinuijiu and Rajin-Sonbong before considering the establishment of more development zones.
The other two, the Kaesong Industrial Complex and Mountain Kumgang area, were functioning well thanks to the cooperation of both sides, he said.
Lee proposed the establishment of a North-East Asian Development Bank modeled on the Asian Development Bank to bankroll the economic turnaround of not only the DPRK, but also northeastern China and Russia's Far East.
He said the ROK would strive to cultivate "a cooperative partnership" with the DPRK and seek mutual benefits by bringing more domestic investors to the DPRK rather than simply offering the latter free economic aid.
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and his DPRK counterpart Kim Jong Il are scheduled to meet from Oct. 2 to 4 in Pyongyang, the second-ever summit between the two countries.
Last month, the DPRK suspended the summit, citing devastating floods that have killed some 600 people and destroyed large areas of farmland.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article