Pres. Kim stresses peace accord, not cease-fire

South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung revealed on September 9 (Korean Standard Time) that for the complete peace settlement in the peninsula, it would be necessary to revise the current cease-fire accord into a true peace accord through four-party talks with the two Koreas, United States and China, a forum already established.

In a dinner hosted by the Korea Society which is an organization of individuals well-informed in Korean situations, President Kim revealed that the improvement in the inter-Korean peace and relation cannot be brought about by simple warming of relationship between the two Koreas.

During a chat with the Korean correspondents in New York, President Kim explained that as the four-party forum for the peace accord has already been established, a call for such a four-party forum will not be discussed at the Korea-U.S or Korea-China summit talks.

With a later but not too far off planned meeting with Japan`s Prime Minister Mori Yoshiro, President Kim would have met with the leaders of the four super powers and would not be unlike having garnered the support for the favorable results of the inter-Korean Summit. It stated that it would be a fortuitous development for both South and the North, and lend greater momentum in the peace process.

President Kim is scheduled to return home afternoon on Sunday on after the completion of his 6 days¡¯ visit to the U.S.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Lee Joung-Binn who is currently accompanying President Kim has agreed to three international convention for the ban on minor prostitution, trade and pornography, the use of minors in the battle field and the safety regulations in the biotechnology research.