The head of the Unification Church's joint automaking venture said Wednesday that he received North Korea's condolence message over the death of its founder Rev. Moon Sun-myung, but did not confirm the North's dispatch of a delegation to the funeral.
"I received the message of condolence (over the death of Rev. Moon) from North Korea," said Pyeonghwa Motors President Park Sang-kwon, a U.S. national, upon arrival from the North. He traveled to Pyongyang via China on Monday in a visit widely believed to be aimed at discussing sending representatives to Moon's funeral slated for Sept. 15 in Korea.
But Park did not say whether he met with North Korean officials to discuss the delegation issue.
The North's state-owned Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported earlier in the day that its leader Kim Jong-un sent a message of condolence to the bereaved family of Moon but did not say how it delivered the message to Moon's family.
Park said the Unification Church's North Korean business will not be affected by the death of its founder. Moon's church operates the automaking venture and other resort facilities in Pyongyang.
Park was a member of the Unification Church's delegation to North Korea following late leader Kim Jong-il's death last year.
Meanwhile, Seoul's Unification Ministry, which handles North Korean affairs, said North Korea will not send a delegation to Moon's funeral.
"We heard from Park that the North decided not to dispatch representatives to South Korea," said an official from the ministry.
After arriving in Seoul, Park visited the ministry to report his Pyongyang trip, according to the ministry official. (END)