South Korean president invited to North Korea

President Moon Jae-in, center, poses with North Korea's special envoy Kim Yo-jong, left, and ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-nam. / Yonhap

North Korea delegates sit at a table during their meeting with President Moon. / Yonhap

By Kim Rahn

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has invited South Korean President Moon Jae-in to visit Pyongyang, Cheong Wa Dae said Saturday.

The invitation was delivered via a verbal message from Kim’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, who came to the South the previous day to attend the opening ceremony for the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games.

According to Kim Yo-jong who came as Kim Jong-un’s special envoy, the North Korean leader is willing to meet with Moon and asked him to visit North Korea at his earliest convenience, presidential spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said.

“She also brought a personally written letter from Kim Jong-un, which stated his willingness to improve inter-Korean relations,” the spokesman said after Kim Yo-jong and other high-level delegates had talks and a luncheon with Moon at Cheong Wa Dae.

Moon expressed his hope to make the visit happen by creating the necessary conditions, according to the spokesman.

The President said the North Korean delegation’s visit to the South created the opportunity to hold a peaceful Olympics, relieved tension on the Korean Peninsula and improve inter-Korean relations.

“He also asked North Korea to be more open to talks with the U.S., adding Pyongyang-Washington dialogue was also necessary to improve inter-Korean relations,” the spokesman said.

Kim Yo-jong and other high-level delegates arrived at the presidential office at 10:58 a.m. for the meeting that was followed by a luncheon. The others were Kim Yong-nam, the nominal head of the regime; State Physical Culture and Sports Guidance Commission Chairman Choe Hwi; and Ri Son-gwon, chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland.

Presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok received Kim Yo-jong and Kim Yong-nam outside the entrance of the main building of Cheong Wa Dae. Moon greeted them inside.

This was the first time for a member of the Kim dynasty to visit South Korea since the 1950-53 Korean War. The delegation was also the first from North Korea to visit Cheong Wa Dae since August 2009 when a group came to express their condolences over the death of former President Kim Dae-jung and met with then-President Lee Myung-bak.

From the South Korean side, Im, National Security Office head Chung Eui-yong, National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon and Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon attended the meeting.

In a visitors’ book, Kim Yo-jong wrote, “I hope Pyongyang and Seoul will get closer in our people’s minds and that unification and prosperity will come in the near future.”

After talking for 70 minutes, Moon hosted an hour-long lunch for the visitors. They had a dish made of dried Pollack called “hwangtae,” a specialty of Gangwon Province where the Olympics are being held, as well as white kimchi, a type popular in North Korea, and mustard leaf kimchi, a specialty from Yeosu. They toasted with Hallasan soju, a brand from Jeju Island.

After arriving in the South, Friday, Kim Yo-jong and Kim Yong-nam attended the opening ceremony of the Olympics, having their first meeting with Moon.