South Korea & Italy Agree on Open Policies with North Korea

Last Thursday, President Kim Dae-jung participated in a summit conference at the presidential palace in Rome with Italian Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema, and they agreed on reforms and open-handed policy towards North Korea through future close coordination between South Korea and Italy.
Italy promised to consult Korean policy institutes when launching both political and economic initiatives with North Korea.
Chongwadae (Blue House) spokesman said that President Kim hoped friendly relations between North Korea and Italy would help relax tensions on the Korean peninsula. Equally, D'Alema said he would continue to aid in effecting a stable peace between the two Koreas, urging North Korea to take part in conferences between North Korea and South Korea.
Both leaders also agreed to mutual security pacts to start in the near future and to cooperation in the restoration of Italy's cultural assets with the help of Korea's advanced technology.

by Kim Jin-kook