Hahn Offers Help to Visit the North

The ruling party asked Tuesday for the opposition's cooperation in making Kim Jong-il's Seoul visit amicable, and also proposed to broker a North Korean visit and meeting with Kim Jong-il for opposition leader Lee Hoi-chang.

"We ask for the opposition's cooperation so that North Korean National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong-il's visit to Seoul runs smoothly," Rep. Hahn Hwa-kap, a senior member of the ruling Millennium Democratic Party said as he spoke as the ruling party's representative before the National Assembly on Tuesday.

"We propose that Lee Hoi-chang visit North Korea and meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. And we are ready to help him," Mr. Hahn said.

The opposition Grand National Party responded coolly to the ruling party's suggestion.

"We stand by the position that it is not the right time for party President Lee to visit the North," opposition spokesman Kwon Chul-hyun said after the ruling party's address at the Assembly. North Korea suggested in August that the opposition party president visit Pyongyang. Mr. Lee refused, saying the timing was inappropriate.

But both parties are preparing a meeting between Mr. Lee and the North Korean leader when he arrives in Seoul. "We are actively considering arranging the meeting if Mr. Lee accepts the idea," a ruling party insider said on condition of anonymity. Mr. Lee has expressed such willingness.

On the second day of the 24-day extra Assembly session, Mr. Hahn, a strong contender for his party's 2002 presidential nomination, also demanded that parties put aside partisan differences and commit to reviving the economy.

by Lee Yang-soo