By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter

President Lee Myung-bak said Friday that the venue for a possible inter-Korean summit should not necessarily be Seoul, adding that he is open-minded on the matter.

In his first town hall meeting since last January, Lee said he was willing to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il if that is conducive to the denuclearization of North Korea, and to discuss South Koreans prisoners of war reportedly kidnapped by the North from a humanitarian point of view. The meeting was televised live nationwide.

But he said there were no compelling reasons for him to sit down with the North Korean leader now.

``I think that South Korea should work together with North Korea to resolve humanitarian issues and through these efforts both can make reconciliation and achieve mutual prosperity,'' he said.

hkang@koreatimes.co.kr