GNP leader met with ex-president Kim

Rep. Lee Hoi-Chang of the main opposition Grand National Party and former president

Kim Young-Sam had a luncheon meeting at the latter`s residence in Sangdo-dong, Seoul, on July 13.

Their meeting drew public attention, as they met for the first time since the April 13

general elections and the recent North Korean broadcasting against the GNP leader.

Lee and Kim reportedly exchanged views on wide-ranging problems of mutual concern, including current domestic political situation and Pyongyang`s verbal attack on the opposition leader.

According to GNP spokesman Kwon Chol-Hyeun, told the press that the GNP president planned to visit with the former president rightly after the latter`s visits to Japan and China but the plan had been delayed for Lee`s other schedule. The spokesman stated that their tete-a-tete was arranged ahead of the ex-president`s departure for his summer vacation, adding that Rep. Lee seems to be satisfied with the talks.

Observers noted in this connection that the two must have met each other out of mutual sympathy in the wake of Pyongang`s vehement verbal attack on the opposition leader, as they have a similar critical viewpoint on the June inter-Korean summit

Choo Chin-Woo, chief secretary to the GNP leader, explained that the Lee-Kim meeting had been decided on several days ago. But it is observed that two may have

shared the view on the recent inter-Korean development, out of a common ground of criticising the Kim Dae-Jung government`s seemingly lukewarm posture toward Pyongyang, especially with regard to the North news agency`s defamation of the GNP head.