Key Kim Aide Gets Invitation to North

Representative Hahn Hwa-kap, a key ally of President Kim Dae-jung, will begin a three-day visit to North Korea August 10.

Mr. Hahn will attend a car rally from Mount Kumgang to Wonsan to mark the first anniversary of the June 15 North-South Korea summit.

The lawmaker was invited by Chairman Kim Yong-sun of North Korea's Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, a shadow-government agency set up to deal with South Korea. The committee chairman is also a close aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.

Mr. Hahn said that he will attend "various events" while in North Korea. He brushed aside speculation that he will try to arrange the long-awaited visit of Kim Jong-il to South Korea to reciprocate Korean President Kim Dae-jung's June 200 visit to Pyongyang.