‘Both South and North Korea not willing to change'
By Yi Whan-woo
Hopes are high among liberals that former first lady Lee Hee-ho's visit to North Korea may lead to a breakthrough in inter-Korean relations.
However, most observers here said Tuesday that her visit will likely end up being a "one-time event" that does little to bring about any significant change given the lukewarm stances in both South and North Korea.
What's drawing attention is whether Lee, 93, the widow of late President Kim Dae-jung, will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who invited her for a four-day trip that starts today.
However, analysts ruled out any possibility that Lee will be able to capitalize on the amicable relationship between her late husband and Kim Jong-un's late father, Kim Jong-il.
This is the first time that the former first lady will travel to the repressive state since December 2011 when she offered condolences for the death of Kim Jong-il. This year's visit will come after a series of inter-Korean reconciliatory efforts have failed on both the governmental and civic levels.
"There' a 50-50 chance that Kim Jong-un will greet Lee in person," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies. "But it doesn't mean their meeting will be very helpful for the two Koreas."
Paik Hak-soon, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute, had a similar view.
"It's possible that that the government secretly asked Lee to deliver a message for inter-Korean reconciliation despite its denial," he said. "Such efforts, however, are unlikely to pay off."
Paik pointed out that Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo, Seoul's point man on inter-Korean affairs, met Lee at her home in Seoul shortly after his ministry's approval of Lee's visit to the North, Monday. Hong said he did not make any requests to the former first lady.
An Chan-il, the head of the World Institute for North Korea Studies, agreed with Paik.
"Lee will visit North Korea as a civilian, and her trip will not have much impact on inter-Korean relations on a governmental level."
During her four-day trip, which is humanitarian in nature, Lee will stay at Baekhwawon, a guesthouse for VIP guests in the North Korean capital.
The former first lady previously stayed there when she visited the North in 2011.
Kim Dae-jung also stayed at Baekhwawon when he went to Pyongyang in June 2000 for a historic inter-Korean summit with Kim Jong-il.
From there, Lee is scheduled to visit a children's hospital, a nursery school and Mount Myohyang, a scenic mountain resort in the northwestern part of the country.
Lee will be accompanied by an 18-member South Korean delegation.
The delegation is comprised of supporters of the late South Korean president and officials from the Kim Dae Jung Peace Center, a Seoul-based non-profit organization chaired by Lee.
The delegates include Kim Sung-jae, a culture minister during Kim Dae-Jung's 1998-2003 presidency. He currently serves as a director at the peace center.
Seoul National University's Honorary Professor Baek Nak-chung will also accompany Lee. Baek is a senior member of a South Korean civic group that hopes to someday implement the June 2000 Declaration adopted between Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jong-il during their summit. It outlined a blueprint for the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula and has served as a symbol of inter-Korean reconciliatory efforts.
By Yi Whan-woo
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| Lee Hee-ho |
However, most observers here said Tuesday that her visit will likely end up being a "one-time event" that does little to bring about any significant change given the lukewarm stances in both South and North Korea.
What's drawing attention is whether Lee, 93, the widow of late President Kim Dae-jung, will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who invited her for a four-day trip that starts today.
However, analysts ruled out any possibility that Lee will be able to capitalize on the amicable relationship between her late husband and Kim Jong-un's late father, Kim Jong-il.
This is the first time that the former first lady will travel to the repressive state since December 2011 when she offered condolences for the death of Kim Jong-il. This year's visit will come after a series of inter-Korean reconciliatory efforts have failed on both the governmental and civic levels.
"There' a 50-50 chance that Kim Jong-un will greet Lee in person," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies. "But it doesn't mean their meeting will be very helpful for the two Koreas."
Paik Hak-soon, a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute, had a similar view.
"It's possible that that the government secretly asked Lee to deliver a message for inter-Korean reconciliation despite its denial," he said. "Such efforts, however, are unlikely to pay off."
Paik pointed out that Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo, Seoul's point man on inter-Korean affairs, met Lee at her home in Seoul shortly after his ministry's approval of Lee's visit to the North, Monday. Hong said he did not make any requests to the former first lady.
An Chan-il, the head of the World Institute for North Korea Studies, agreed with Paik.
"Lee will visit North Korea as a civilian, and her trip will not have much impact on inter-Korean relations on a governmental level."
During her four-day trip, which is humanitarian in nature, Lee will stay at Baekhwawon, a guesthouse for VIP guests in the North Korean capital.
The former first lady previously stayed there when she visited the North in 2011.
Kim Dae-jung also stayed at Baekhwawon when he went to Pyongyang in June 2000 for a historic inter-Korean summit with Kim Jong-il.
From there, Lee is scheduled to visit a children's hospital, a nursery school and Mount Myohyang, a scenic mountain resort in the northwestern part of the country.
Lee will be accompanied by an 18-member South Korean delegation.
The delegation is comprised of supporters of the late South Korean president and officials from the Kim Dae Jung Peace Center, a Seoul-based non-profit organization chaired by Lee.
The delegates include Kim Sung-jae, a culture minister during Kim Dae-Jung's 1998-2003 presidency. He currently serves as a director at the peace center.
Seoul National University's Honorary Professor Baek Nak-chung will also accompany Lee. Baek is a senior member of a South Korean civic group that hopes to someday implement the June 2000 Declaration adopted between Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jong-il during their summit. It outlined a blueprint for the peaceful unification of the Korean Peninsula and has served as a symbol of inter-Korean reconciliatory efforts.
