ID :
19891
Wed, 09/17/2008 - 10:28
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/19891
The shortlink copeid
N. Korea requests delay in civilian exchange program
(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES throughout)
SEOUL, Sept. 16 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has asked a South Korean civic group to delay its visit to Pyongyang to discuss food assistance, which was scheduled for this week.
The Seoul-based Peace 3,000 group, which planned to send a delegation of 110
people to visit bean-processing plants in Pyongyang, said the North Korean
Catholic organization that invited them sent a fax earlier in the day asking for
a delay of about 10 days.
Originally, Peace 3,000 wanted to send its delegation on Thursday with the return
scheduled on Sunday, but the North wanted the date to be delayed until after
Sept. 26. The civic group said it plans to send its members on the 27th.
The fax said that important state events this month, including the 60th
anniversary of the communist country's founding and the fall harvest holiday,
made it hard to work out details of the visit.
The religious organization, however, warned that if the South tried to link the
delay with "wild speculation," it could adversely affect inter-Korean
rapprochement, with Seoul to be held responsible for all consequences.
Rumors have circulated in South Korea and the rest of the world that North Korean
leader Kim Jong-il has been incapacitated. He has not been seen in public since
Aug. 14, when he reportedly inspected a military unit in the North.
His conspicuous absence from a parade last week fueled speculation about his
illness.
South Korea's intelligence agency said Kim suffered a stroke in the middle of
last month, but has recovered well enough to brush his teeth by himself and stand
if assisted. However, this has yet to be officially verified.
The local civic group said that the cause of the delay could be attributed in
part to the time it took to exchange details on the visit.
"The use of fax machines made it hard to communicate properly, while the
delay by South Korean authorities to issue permits to visit the North played a
role as well," said a spokesperson.
Compared to the two previous administrations that maintained conciliatory views
toward the North, the conservative Lee Myung-bak government has carefully
screened visits and asked that groups refrain from large-scale events.
The shooting death of a South Korean female tourist at the Mount Geumgang resort
on July 11 further frayed the already tense inter-Korean relations.
Related to the request for a delay, a government source, who declined to be
identified, pointed out that the North gave a clear reason for the delay.
"Because a reason was stated, it would be prudent to take it at face
value," he said.
The official then said if there are no delays in the visit arranged by the Korean
Sharing Movement, then there should be no reason to think that Pyongyang has
other motives for not wanting South Koreans in the country.
The Sharing Movement, meanwhile, said its delegation wants to visit the North
from Saturday through Tuesday to visit hospitals and medical facilities. It added
that there should be no problem in getting an invitation from the North's
National Reconciliation Council.
Besides these two groups, six or seven other groups have requested permission to
visit the communist country this month and October.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Sept. 16 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has asked a South Korean civic group to delay its visit to Pyongyang to discuss food assistance, which was scheduled for this week.
The Seoul-based Peace 3,000 group, which planned to send a delegation of 110
people to visit bean-processing plants in Pyongyang, said the North Korean
Catholic organization that invited them sent a fax earlier in the day asking for
a delay of about 10 days.
Originally, Peace 3,000 wanted to send its delegation on Thursday with the return
scheduled on Sunday, but the North wanted the date to be delayed until after
Sept. 26. The civic group said it plans to send its members on the 27th.
The fax said that important state events this month, including the 60th
anniversary of the communist country's founding and the fall harvest holiday,
made it hard to work out details of the visit.
The religious organization, however, warned that if the South tried to link the
delay with "wild speculation," it could adversely affect inter-Korean
rapprochement, with Seoul to be held responsible for all consequences.
Rumors have circulated in South Korea and the rest of the world that North Korean
leader Kim Jong-il has been incapacitated. He has not been seen in public since
Aug. 14, when he reportedly inspected a military unit in the North.
His conspicuous absence from a parade last week fueled speculation about his
illness.
South Korea's intelligence agency said Kim suffered a stroke in the middle of
last month, but has recovered well enough to brush his teeth by himself and stand
if assisted. However, this has yet to be officially verified.
The local civic group said that the cause of the delay could be attributed in
part to the time it took to exchange details on the visit.
"The use of fax machines made it hard to communicate properly, while the
delay by South Korean authorities to issue permits to visit the North played a
role as well," said a spokesperson.
Compared to the two previous administrations that maintained conciliatory views
toward the North, the conservative Lee Myung-bak government has carefully
screened visits and asked that groups refrain from large-scale events.
The shooting death of a South Korean female tourist at the Mount Geumgang resort
on July 11 further frayed the already tense inter-Korean relations.
Related to the request for a delay, a government source, who declined to be
identified, pointed out that the North gave a clear reason for the delay.
"Because a reason was stated, it would be prudent to take it at face
value," he said.
The official then said if there are no delays in the visit arranged by the Korean
Sharing Movement, then there should be no reason to think that Pyongyang has
other motives for not wanting South Koreans in the country.
The Sharing Movement, meanwhile, said its delegation wants to visit the North
from Saturday through Tuesday to visit hospitals and medical facilities. It added
that there should be no problem in getting an invitation from the North's
National Reconciliation Council.
Besides these two groups, six or seven other groups have requested permission to
visit the communist country this month and October.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
