Hwang cause of new split

WASHINGTON - Yang Sung-chul, South Korea's ambassador to the United States, and some members of the U.S. House of Representatives are at odds over statements regarding a proposed visit to Washington by Hwang Jang-yop, a former secretary of North Korea's Workers Party who defected to the South.

The chairman of the House International Relations Committee, Henry Hyde, was one of three congressmen who sent a written request Wednesday to U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, asking that he urge Seoul to allow Mr. Hwang to testify before Congress.

Mr. Yang reportedly told the congressmen in July that a visit by Mr. Hwang is unacceptable, citing President Kim Dae-jung's concern that his testimony on human rights issues in North Korea could irritate Pyeongyang and hinder North-South relations.

Mr. Yang on Saturday denied making the statement, saying the congressmen misunderstood what he had said.

by Kim Jin