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DPRK envoys hold talks with ROK minister

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-08-22 13:39

ROK's Unification Minister Hyun In-taek (C) speaks to the media after his meeting with Kim Yang-gon, Department Director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of DPRK, at a hotel in Seoul August 22, 2009. [Agencies]

SEOUL: Senior officials from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) visiting Seoul for the funeral of a former president met unification minister of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Saturday, in the highest-level meeting between the two states in nearly two years.

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The ROK minister Hyun In-taek, who has been lambasted in the DPRK's media for Seoul's hardline policy toward Pyongyang, met a high-level delegation sent by the DPRK leader Kim Jong-il, the ministry said.

"There is a message just in holding the meeting," Hyun told reporters ahead of the talks.

But in an indication of the DPRK's anger at the ROK President Lee Myung-bak's government, the group will leave on Saturday before the state funeral for former President Kim Dae-jung, who was awarded the 2000 Nobel Peace Prize for brokering the first summit between the leaders of the two Koreas.

Relations chilled after Lee took office last year and effectively end Kim's "Sunshine Policy" of engagement by cutting off a steady flow of unconditional aid to Pyongyang.

The DPRK severed ties with Lee's government, which has cut off aid that was once equal to about 5 percent of the DPRK's estimated $17 billion yearly GDP.

The first dispatch of envoys to Seoul in nearly two years follows moves by Pyongyang this month to reduce tension after conducting a nuclear test in May, firing missiles and threatening war with its southern neighbour.

The DPRK's rare conciliatory move could mean it wants greater contact with the outside world after being hit with UN sanctions for its nuclear test.

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