Fmr. ROK first lady arrives in Pyongyang for visit

South Korea hopes to reconnect the line and link it to Russia’s Trans-Siberian Railway, an ambitious project, which would cut logistics costs for trade with Europe.

Lee Hee-ho, the widow of former President Kim Dae-jung, visited two orphanages and a nursing home in Pyongyang on Wednesday, the second day of her four-day trip aimed at forging momentum for a thaw in the icy inter-Korean relations.

It was her third visit to the North following the first during the inter-Korean summit in 2000 and the second in 2011, during which she attended the funeral of former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. In local liberal circles, she remains a symbol of a presidency credited with fostering unusually warm inter-Korean relations, despite several fatal naval skirmishes that also occurred during the period.

“Our aim is to ensure its [Korean Peninsula’s] non-nuclear status by arriving at an agreement that is acceptable to everyone”, Lavrov was quoted by Sputnik News as saying, during a meeting with his North Korean counterpart Lee Yong Soo.

The former president Kim, who governed from 1998-2003, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his reconciliation efforts. Lee took a chartered Eastar Jet from Gimpo Airport.

Few opportunities presented themselves for either team in the first half, until, with just a minute to go, midfielder Kim Seung Dae put South Korea into the lead. Zhang wrote to leader Kim Jong-un for permission to set up the wax museum.

After taking a brief rest at the Baekhwawon Guesthouse in Pyongyang, Lee visited the Pyongyang Maternity Hospital and Okryu Children’s Hospital, which are located in the capital city. Pyongyang is likely to use the trip for its own propaganda ends, according to Kirk. Lee and her 18-member entourage are scheduled to return home on Saturday. Lee accompanied Kim to the summit in 2000.

“I hope that North Korea will build a future for co-prosperity and development by opening its doors and choosing the path of change”, she said, adding that she would seek US, Chinese and Russian support for the plan.