Bid reported to limit probe fallout in North

Seoul has attempted to ease any potential fallout in North Korea from an investigation into money Pyeongyang received before the 2000 inter-Korean summit, a businessman well-connected with the North said yesterday.
At a meeting in Seoul, held by the Federation of Korean Industries’ inter-Korean economic cooperation committee, Park Sang-kwon, president of Pyonghwa Motors Company, talked about his playing a role as a messenger between the two Koreas. “Before I visited the North, I met with President Roh Moo-hyun,” Mr. Park said. “The president said he had no underhanded intentions in allowing an investigation of the money transfer. He told me to tell [the North] that it should not be upset if the details of the case are revealed.”
Mr. Park said he met twice with Kim Yong-sun, vice chairman of the North Korean Asian-Pacific Peace Committee, during his recent visit to Pyeongyang. “When I talked about the independent counsel probe, Mr. Kim seemed extremely disturbed,” Mr. Park said. “I explained to Mr. Kim that the probe is unavoidable.”
Mr. Park has been managing an automotive company in Nampo, North Korea, a joint venture between the two Koreas. He visited Pyeongyang from March 17 to March 25 under the authorization of the South Korean Unification Ministry.

by Lee Young-jong