Seoul (AsiaNews) – South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun has written a first-ever letter to the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il to express sympathy to North Korean flood victims.
The letter was sent yesterday through official channels: diplomatic sources note that it constitutes a “notable step forward” in diplomatic relations, up until now limited to intermediary negotiations.
In the letter, Roh expressed hope that North Korea will “soon restore” damaged facilities and relieve the suffering of its people – 300 of whom were killed - from the devastating floods earlier this month.. Seoul, promised to pitch in to help its “sister nation” to build a “frank and sincere dialogue, that will lead to peace and prosperity on the Korean peninsula”.
According to political analysts, the letter represents a decisive move by Roh ahead of the imminent summit between the two leaders from Seoul and Pyongyang, as well as the first step towards Korean reunification.
