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| S Korean head meets North envoys | S Korean head meets North envoys |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| South Korean leader Lee Myung-bak has met senior North Korean officials for the first time, ahead of the funeral of the late ex-President Kim Dae-jung. | South Korean leader Lee Myung-bak has met senior North Korean officials for the first time, ahead of the funeral of the late ex-President Kim Dae-jung. |
| The six envoys brought a message from North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, saying they hoped to ease bilateral problems. | The six envoys brought a message from North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, saying they hoped to ease bilateral problems. |
| The meeting is being seen as a significant thaw, as President Lee is denounced as a traitor by the North. | The meeting is being seen as a significant thaw, as President Lee is denounced as a traitor by the North. |
| A spokesman for Mr Lee refused to release the wording of the message, citing the sensitivity of the matter. | A spokesman for Mr Lee refused to release the wording of the message, citing the sensitivity of the matter. |
| But he said it explained Mr Kim's thoughts on "progress on inter-Korean cooperation". | But he said it explained Mr Kim's thoughts on "progress on inter-Korean cooperation". |
| While meeting many South Koreans here, I came to believe that inter-Korean ties must be improved at the earliest possible date Kim Yang-gonNorth Korean official Will Pyongyang change? | |
| He said Mr Lee, in response, detailed his government's "consistent and firm" policy on North Korea, which has been to push for progress on nuclear disarmament. | He said Mr Lee, in response, detailed his government's "consistent and firm" policy on North Korea, which has been to push for progress on nuclear disarmament. |
| "Everything went well," Pyongyang's chief envoy Kim Ki-nam said after the meeting, although he too refused to give any details. | "Everything went well," Pyongyang's chief envoy Kim Ki-nam said after the meeting, although he too refused to give any details. |
| Talks between Unification Minister Hyun In-taek and the North Korean envoys on Saturday were the first high-level meeting between the two sides since conservative President Lee took office in February 2008, promising to take a tougher line with Pyongyang. | Talks between Unification Minister Hyun In-taek and the North Korean envoys on Saturday were the first high-level meeting between the two sides since conservative President Lee took office in February 2008, promising to take a tougher line with Pyongyang. |
| Relations chilled as he cut aid to the North, tying its resumption to progress on nuclear disarmament. | Relations chilled as he cut aid to the North, tying its resumption to progress on nuclear disarmament. |
| State funeral | State funeral |
| The half-hour meeting took place shortly before Kim Dae-jung's funeral. | The half-hour meeting took place shortly before Kim Dae-jung's funeral. |
| class="" href="/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8212768.stm">South Korea's democracy champion class="" href="/2/hi/in_pictures/8206943.stm">In pictures: Life of Kim Dae-jung | |
| The former president pioneered the South's "Sunshine Policy" of engagement with the North, and spent his life pursuing democracy and reunification. | |
| He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his efforts to promote reconciliation on the Korean peninsula. | |
| South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that 20,000 people attended the ceremony at the parliament building in Seoul, only the second state funeral to be held in the country. | |
| In his eulogy, Prime Minister Han Seung-soo said Mr Kim, who died on 18 August after a bout of pneumonia, had been "a great leader of modern history". | |
| "Your sacrifices, dedication and devotion allowed freedom, human rights and democracy to fully blossom in Korea, making our country today a proud and respected nation in the world," he said. | "Your sacrifices, dedication and devotion allowed freedom, human rights and democracy to fully blossom in Korea, making our country today a proud and respected nation in the world," he said. |
| Mr Han said the democratisation of South Korea had been made possible by Mr Kim's "unwavering convictions and ... unyielding courage". | Mr Han said the democratisation of South Korea had been made possible by Mr Kim's "unwavering convictions and ... unyielding courage". |
| 'Ties must be improved' | 'Ties must be improved' |
| The six officials from North Korea were sent to pay respects for Kim Dae-jung. On Friday they laid a wreath at the National Assembly in Seoul, where Mr Kim's body was lying in state. | The six officials from North Korea were sent to pay respects for Kim Dae-jung. On Friday they laid a wreath at the National Assembly in Seoul, where Mr Kim's body was lying in state. |
| Hyun In-taek met visiting North Korean spy chief Kim Yang-gon in Seoul | Hyun In-taek met visiting North Korean spy chief Kim Yang-gon in Seoul |
| "While meeting many South Koreans here, I came to believe that inter-Korean ties must be improved at the earliest possible date," said Kim Yang-gon, the North's official in charge of inter-Korean relations. | "While meeting many South Koreans here, I came to believe that inter-Korean ties must be improved at the earliest possible date," said Kim Yang-gon, the North's official in charge of inter-Korean relations. |
| "We've had little opportunity to talk... I hope that these first high-level official talks under the Lee Myung-bak administration will provide a chance to have frank talks," he told his Southern counterpart Mr Hyun. | "We've had little opportunity to talk... I hope that these first high-level official talks under the Lee Myung-bak administration will provide a chance to have frank talks," he told his Southern counterpart Mr Hyun. |
| The words mark a turn around for the North, which earlier this year conducted an underground nuclear test and fired a long-range missile over Japan. | The words mark a turn around for the North, which earlier this year conducted an underground nuclear test and fired a long-range missile over Japan. |
| But more recently, there has been a series of conciliatory gestures. Two US reporters and a South Korean worker were released from detention and last week Pyongyang said it was interested in resuming cross-border tourism and industrial projects. | But more recently, there has been a series of conciliatory gestures. Two US reporters and a South Korean worker were released from detention and last week Pyongyang said it was interested in resuming cross-border tourism and industrial projects. |
| Some observers believe that, with UN sanctions beginning to bite, the North is keen to boost cross-border tourism and trade that bring in badly needed foreign currency, says the BBC's John Sudworth in Seoul. | Some observers believe that, with UN sanctions beginning to bite, the North is keen to boost cross-border tourism and trade that bring in badly needed foreign currency, says the BBC's John Sudworth in Seoul. |
| Are you in the region? What is your reaction to this meeting? You can send us your views using the form below: | Are you in the region? What is your reaction to this meeting? You can send us your views using the form below: |
| A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | A selection of your comments may be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |
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