NK minister asked to attend ARF in Seoul

Foreign Affairs-Trade Minister Lee Joung-Binn asked his North Korean counterpart, Paek Nam-Sun, to attend the confidence building period conference of the ASEAN Regional Forum, which will be held in Seoul from October 30 to November 3.

This was disclosed by Minister Lee in a lecture delivered at the "Pax Koreana 21" meeting held at the Sofitel Ambassador Hotel in Seoul August 9. Related ministry officials said that the North Korean minister acknowledged Lee`s invitation, but his response has yet to be confirmed. If and when Pyongyang sends a delegation to Seoul, this would mark the first time for the North to attend an international conference presided over by the Seoul government, they added.

The period conference is a working-level meeting to be held prior to the high-level ASEAN Regional Forum talks and foreign ministers` meeting, and participants will include diplomatic and colonel-level military officials.

They are scheduled to inspect military installations and training as means of securing security transparency among member nations. Meanwhile, Minister Lee revealed in his speech that he agreed with his North Korean counterpart to meet again in New York when the U. N. General Assembly session opens in September. The minister predicted that Pyongyang will continue to pursue a limited open-door policy, as it is aware of the fact that outside assistance is necessary to solve North Korea`s economic problems.