N. Korean 2nd in command meets Clinton

The first vice chairman of North Korea's National Defense Commission and second in command in North's power hierarchy Cho Myung-Rok held an historic meeting with U.S. President Bill Clinton on Tuesday in Washington, D.C.

Cho received a hearty reception reserved for heads of state and was led to the White House for a visit with Clinton for an hour of in-depth discussion about the issues that have been building between the two states.

Cho, who had gone about business after his arrival Oct. 8 in a dark Western-style suit, drew attention by changing into his People's Army uniform with his medals for his visit with Clinton at the White House.

Just a short time prior to his White House visit, the first vice chairman had worn a black suit during his 40-minute talks with the Secretary of State Madeleine Albright at the State Department at 8:30 a.m. local time. After his talk with the secretary of state, he came to the lobby only to re-enter the State Department building. Then, 15 minutes later, he emerged in his army uniform for his meeting with President Clinton.

Many observers speculated that the first vice chairman wore his uniform for his visit with Clinton to show that the North's armed forces also back the improvement of relations between the two states as proposed in the personal letter from the North's leader Kim Jung-Il.

Although Cho was scheduled for a meeting with Clinton at 9:15 a.m., his meeting with Albright went into overtime, and as he had to change into his uniform, he headed for the White House around 9:35 a.m. Despite having met later than scheduled, Clinton held a one-hour talk with Cho.

The first vice chairman of North Korea's National Defense Commission received treatment reserved for heads of state, starting with his flight accommodation, use of airport VIP lounge, and protection by security agents to start his scheduled visits Oct. 9.

Cho and his entourage arrived on United Airlines flight 806 at Dulles Airport near the U.S. capital at 7:06 p.m. Oct. 9 and was greeted by representatives from the U.S. State Department while still aboard.

The representatives from the State Department guided the entourage to a bus that had been awaiting their arrival and shuttled them to the VIP lounge without having to disembark as regular passengers, thereby bypassing the complicated debarkation process.

The North's entourage arrived at their lodging in Washington, the Mayflower Hotel, at 8:05 p.m. Escorted by motorcycle police, the first vice chairman came out of the vehicle, a Cadillac, and shook hands with the U.S. State Department Counselor on North Korean Affairs, Wendy Sherman.

"Good to see you," he reportedly said to Sherman, who had come to the hotel 40 minutes earlier to personally greet the first vice chairman.

To the question by Korean reporters who had been waiting for the first vice chairman concerning whether the talks would be successful, he said simply, "Yes." He did not comment on how he felt about coming to the United States. However, he did show a slight smile and waved to reporters while posing for the cameras. All in all, he seemed bright and quite at ease.

As if overly concerned with the safety of the North's entourage while in the United States, the State Department built a wall of silence concerning the itinerary of the North's visitors. The State Department's head of the Korean Affairs Department, Edward Dong, of Chinese descent, only answered, "I don't know," in Chinese to the question of the itinerary while all others have kept silent to all questions regarding the schedule.

The U.S. State Department has clamped down on all entering the hotel and has been keeping a closer watch of the reporters from South Korea.

With the visit of the first vice chairman Oct. 9 coinciding with Columbus Day, which celebrates the coming of Columbus to the New World, and as the hotel name Mayflower was the vessel on which the Puritans had come to the New England, the date became a hot-topic of discussion. Some diplomats in Washington have stated that the new era currently under way between North Korea and the United States started with the first vice chairman's visit on Columbus Day while staying at the Mayflower Hotel.

He added that it might be coincidence but still held great significance. He further expressed his hope for the coincidence to serve to bring about successful rounds of talks.