DJ’s widow planning trip

A group of officials representing the widow of the late President Kim Dae-jung will visit North Korea this week to discuss former first lady Lee Hee-ho’s trip to the communist regime.

Lim Byeong-cheol, spokesman of the Ministry of Unification, said Wednesday that the government has approved officials from the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center to visit Kaesong on Friday. Seven officials from the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center including former culture minister Kim Sung-jae will visit the North.

They will meet with officials of North’s Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee to discuss the itinerary for Lee’s trip and other logistics. “Four to five officials of the North’s committee will attend the meeting,” Lim said, without elaboration.

The meeting will take place at the management office of the Kaesong Industrial Complex Friday morning.

Although officials involved in Lee’s trip has said she wanted to visit the North for a humanitarian aid mission, expectations are high that it could thaw frozen inter-Korean relations after a failed attempt by the two sides to resume high-level government contacts.

BY SER MYO-JA [myoja@joongang.co.kr]