President Kim to Attend UN Millennium Summit

South Korean President Kim Dae-jung will attend the three-day Millennium Summit to be held at UN headquarters in New York City beginning September 6, according to Chong Wa Dae spokesman Park Joon-young.

President Kim plans to meet with North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly Presidium Chairman Kim Yong-nam on September 6, the first day of the summit. Chairman Kim is the Stalinist state's representative in foreign affairs.

The two will likely exchange views on the improvement in inter-Korean relations as a result of the June 15 Joint Declaration, including the inter-Korean ministerial talks and the exchange visit by separated family members.

President Kim's itinerary includes talks with U.S. President Bill Clinton, Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Millennium Summit aims to clarify the UN's role in the new millennium and will be attended by representatives from 164 countries.

Chong Wa Dae spokesman Park says that "President Kim will present his vision of a new era of peace and development on the Korean Peninsula in his keynote address, which calls for support and assistance from the international community."

President Kim is scheduled to return to Korea on September 10.

by Kim Jin-kook