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| Hwang Pyong-so, second from left, vice chairman of North Korea's National Defense Commission, and Choe Ryong-hae, a secretary of the ruling Workers' Party, arrive at Incheon International Airport, Saturday. AP-Yonhap |
By Yi Whan-wooThree high-ranking members of North Korea's leadership met with South Korean officials in Seoul, Saturday, during a surprise visit that raised hopes for thawed relations.The North Korean officials -- Hwang Pyong-so, Choe Ryong-hae and Kim Yang-gon -- ostensibly made the one-day trip to attend the closing ceremonies of the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.However, the sudden visit provided an opportunity for the South Korean government to meet with close confidantes of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The sides agreed to hold more talks as early as later this month. In a rare show of engagement, the three officials met with South Korean Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae shortly after arriving in Incheon. Later the North Koreans met with Ryoo and Seoul's national security adviser, Kim Kwan-jin, as well as other officials, over lunch.The Pyongyang delegates also met Prime Minister Chung Hong-won before the Asiad's closing ceremony. Chung praised the performances of the communist country's athletes at the Asian Games.In response, the delegates complimented the South for "successfully hosting the event."Other details of the talks were not immediately disclosed. However, the sides agreed to hold another round of high-level talks later this month or in early November to discuss issues such as reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.The North Korean officials returned to Pyongyang late Saturday.Seoul officials said the South invited the delegates to meet with President Park Geun-hye at Cheong Wa Dae. The meeting, however, did not materialize due to time constraints.The meetings were the highest-level talks held between the sides under the President Park Geun-hye administration. The amiable atmosphere stood in stark contrast from tensions seen in recent months, during which the North conducted a spate of missile and rocket tests.Pyongyang's sports authorities issued a request for the visit Friday, government officials said.The visit is being carefully watched because Hwang, director the General Political Bureau of the Korean People's Army, is considered North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's number two.The talks followed a September shuffle of top North Korean officials that saw Hwang replace Choe as Pyongyang's military's top political officer, in September. Kim Yang-gon and Choe are secretaries in the North's ruling Worker's Party.The visit came amid speculation over the North's leader Kim, who was last seen in public on Sept. 3. North Korean state television footage of Kim limping during a July event triggered speculation that he was suffering from physical ailments including a possible case of gout.The North sent a delegation of some 150 athletes to compete in the games. But Pyongyang decided against sending a delegation of cheerleaders after the sides wrangled over which country would foot the bill for the squad's trips.They fared well with a total of 36 medals -- 11 golds, 11 silvers and 14 bronzes.High-level visits by North Korean officials have been rare since 2008, when former President Lee Myung-bak implemented a hardline approach that sought to curb Pyongyang's nuclear program. Tensions have remained high since President Park Geun-hye took power.
정홍원 국무총리는 4일 오후 인천아시안게임 폐회식이 열린 인천아시아드주경기장에서 황병서 군 총정치국장 등 북한측 대표단 일행을 면담했다.
현직 총리가 북한 고위급 인사를 만난 것은 지난 2007년 11월 제2차 남북정상회담 후속조치를 논의하기 위해 서울에서 열린 남북총리회담 이후 7년여 만이다.
이날 면담은 우리 측에서 김관진 청와대 국가안보실장, 류길재 통일부 장관, 한기범 국가정보원 1차장이 배석하고, 북측에서는 최룡해 노동당 비서, 김양건 통일전선부장, 맹경일 조국평화통일위원회 부국장이 함께한 가운데 14분간 진행됐다.
정 총리는 이날 북한이 이번 대회에서 역도에서 세계신기록 4개를 수립하는 등 금메달 11개로 종합 7위를 차지한 것을 언급, '우리 국민이 굉장히 박수를 많이 치고 손바닥이 닳도록 응원했는데 보람이 있어서 좋다'며 '아시아인들에게 아주 깊은 인상을 준 것을 큰 소득이라고 생각하고 기쁘게 생각한다'고 덕담을 건넸다.
이어 '이번에 남북이 거둔 수확이 남북 교류·협력에도 이어져서 남북간에 봇물터지는 그런 성과가 일어나길 바란다'며 '앞으로 고위급 회담을 통해서 우리 민족끼리 피부로 느끼는 성과들이 많이 도출되기를 기대하겠다'고 말했다.
정 총리는 또 '이번에 남북이 (축구에서) 남녀가 아주 사이좋게 우승을 해서 앞으로 남북간에 축구 교류를 좀 하게 되면 아주 멋있는 모양이 되고, 민족들이 굉장히 박수를 칠 것 같다. 너무 할 일이 많은 느낌'이라고 말했다.
이에 황 총정치국장은 '이번에 다 여자축구는 (북한이) 우승하고, 남자축구도 (남한이) 그랬으니까 아시아에서 축구는 완전히 됐다'며 '이 기세로 나아가면 세계에서 아마 패권지기가 되겠다. 세계에서 조선민족이 세계 패권을…앞으로 같이 나아가자'고 화답했다.
황 총정치국장은 정 총리가 '북측이 아주 좋은 성적인데 남측에서 세계경기를 자주 열어서 북측을 자주 초청해야겠다'고 말하자 '예. 서로 가고 오고…'라고 웃으며 답했다.
또 정 총리가 '총정치국장께서 방문하신 것을 계기로 이제는 모든 면에서 모두가 열렬히 박수를 치는 일들이 많이 일어나길 바란다. 많이 역할 좀 해달라'고 당부하자, 황 총정치국장은 '고맙다. 총리도 (그렇고) 우리가 나서야지'라고 말했다. (연합뉴스)
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