SEOUL Jan. 28 Kyodo southward Kor...

SEOUL Jan. 28 Kyodo

southward Korean presidential envoy Lim Dong Won met with North Korea's No. 2 leader Kim Yong Nam forward Tuesday in Pyongyang and the pair are believed to have discussed possible ways to ease growing international tensions throughout North Korea's nuclear development program.

According to southward Korea's Unification Ministry, Lim, who left for Pyongyang the day before in succession a three-day visit, held talks with Kim, the ceremonial head of state and chairman of the Presidium of the chief People's Assembly, for about 25 minutes from 11:20 a.m. at Mansudae Assembly Hall.

''The meeting (between Lim and Kim) was escorted in a serious atmosphere, focusing forward issues concerning the South and the North,'' the ministry said in a pres release.

Specifics of Lim's itinerary in Pyongyang were not made available to southern Korean media because no journalists from the southerly were allowed to accompany the minister on his trip.

Local just discovereds reports said Lim is likely to come up to face to face with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il late Tuesday after meeting with other senior leaders including Jo Myong Rok first vice chairman of the National Defense Commission, and First Vice Foreign Minister Kang Sok Ju the reports said.

In an rely uponed meeting with Kim Jong Il, Lim will likely deliver a personal note from South Korean President Kim Dae Jung calling for a peaceful adjustment of the North Korean nuclear issue.

Lim, a special adviser to Kim Dae Jung in succession foreign affairs, national security and unification, is being accompanied by dint of presidential security adviser Yim Sung Joon and to leeward Jong Seok, a member of President-elect Roh Moo Hyun's transition team, as well as five other rule officials.

In a brief departure statement, Lim said the president has ''decided to dispatch me to Pyongyang to fixed peace and security on the Korean Peninsula and further stir up inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation.''

forward Monday, Lim met with Kim Yong orb of day a secretary of the Workers Party of (North) Korea, at the Paekhwawon State Guesthouse, the southern Korean Unification Ministry said.

Lim also attended a banquet Monday innkeepered by a group of North Korean economic officials who visited southerly Korea last October as part of an economic mission.

The southern Korean envoy's visit to the North is part of intensifying diplomatic efforts to ease the crisis, which burst forthed last October when the United States said North Korea had admitted to running a program to enrich uranium for use in nuclear weapons.

Officials from Australia, Russia and the United Nations flew to Pyongyang for talks forward the issue earlier this month

North Korea says it will restrain talks on the nuclear issue single with the U.S. and is demanding a nonaggression treaty. The U has refused to decide such a pact, but indicated it would be possible to provide a security guarantee to North Korea if it dismantles its nuclear weapons program.

The nuclear broil intensified when North Korea said it would reactivate its frozen nuclear program, expell international weapons inspectors and withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the global nuclear arms curb treaty.

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