The President in Gwangju DJ in Busan

Former president Kim Dae-jung (DJ) visited Busan on November 8 to give a keynote speech at the UN Asia-Pacific Economic and Social Council (ESCAP) Ministerial Conference on Transport held at BEXCO, Busan.

Following the visit to DJ’s house at Donggyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul on November 4, President Roh Moo-hyun visited Gwangju to attend the regional innovation fair held at the “Kim Dae-jung Convention Center” on November 7. DJ’s visit to Busan following these events gave way to speculations that the two people may be searching for a compromise regarding the recent political restructuring attempt by the ruling Uri party.

President Roh’s visit to Gwangju was scheduled in August, and former president Kim’s visit to Busan was finalized last month.

But opposition parties doubted the true intentions, stating, “At a time when there are mounting controversies about political restructuring, the actions of former and present presidents visiting the hometowns of each other calls for speculation.”

Choi Kyung-hwan, a secretary to DJ, stated, “it was scheduled with the request of the

Construction and Transportation Minister Choo Byung-jik.” Twenty-eight countries would be signing the “Intergovernmental Agreement on the Trans-Asian Railway” at this event, and DJ, who proposed the “Silk Road of Steel,” was seen to be ideal to give the keynote speech for the event.

On this day, DJ mentioned at the keynote speech on the topic of “North-South Relations and the Silk Road of Steel” that “When the U.S. holds bilateral talks with North Korea and persuades it to give up its nuclear weapons while relaxing its sanctions, North Korea will become the second China or Vietnam.”

yongari@donga.com