Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush arrived in South Korea Tuesday at the invitation of a South Korean company, company officials said, amid reports that he may also travel to North Korea to help his son make a breakthrough in the stalled nuclear talks.
Bush, father of incumbent U.S. President George W. Bush, arrived on the country's southern resort island of Jeju earlier in the day and had a meeting with businessmen there, according to Poongsan Corp.
During his three-day stay here, Bush will attend a series of events organized by Poongsan and other business groups, according to company officials. But it was not confirmed whether he will meet South Korea's new president, Lee Myung-bak.
Diplomatic sources here said there is a possibility that the senior Bush will visit Pyongyang as a special envoy of his son, as the New York Philharmonic's historic concert in the North Korean capital late last month has paved the way for more exchanges between the two sides.
In his final year in office, President Bush is eager to boost efforts to rid the North of its nuclear program. The U.S. managed last year to reach an aid-for-denuclearization deal with North Korea, also signed by South Korea, China, Russia, and Japan.
But implementation of the agreement has been bogged down for months due to Pyongyang's refusal to provide a complete and correct list of its nuclear activities. (Yonhap)