NORTH KOREA-SOUTH KOREA/FORMER FIRST LADY South Korea’s former first lady departs for North Korea

Record ID: 144975

  • Title: NORTH KOREA-SOUTH KOREA/FORMER FIRST LADY South Korea’s former first lady departs for North Korea
  • Date: 5th August 2015
  • Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AUGUST 5, 2015) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** CAR CARRYING WIDOW OF FORMER SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT KIM DAE-JUNG, LEE HEE-HO, ARRIVING AT GIMPO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LEE (IN BLACK DRESS WITH WHITE COLLAR) GETTING OUT OF CAR JOURNALISTS GATHERED AT ENTRANCE OF AIRPORT LEE WALKING TOWARD MEDIA LEE WALKING AND STANDING IN FRONT OF MEDI
  • Embargoed: 20th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA9R7L3PDC1XNO5C6MKXW4BL9UB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Lee Hee-ho, the widow of former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, who was well known for his pro-North Korean policies, departed Seoul on Wednesday (August 5) to visit North Korea.
    Lee arrived at Gimpo International Airport to make the rare visit to the reclusive state at the invitation of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
    Kim Sung-Jae, South Korean former culture minister who is accompanying Lee explained her hopes for the visit.
    "Former first lady Lee Hee-ho said that she will visit Pyongyang with the hopes that it will heal the pain and wounds of 70 years of separation for both sides. And she also wishes for the two Koreas to reconcile, cooperate, love and visit each other in a peaceful atmosphere, following the spirit of the 6.15 Joint Declaration," Kim said before the departure.
    The first summit in 2000 between the North's Kim Jong Il and South's Kim Dae-jung led to a period of rapidly expanding ties including the opening of a factory park in the North run by South Korean businesses and a tourism project. The two leaders concluded the summit with a 6.15 joint declaration pledging peace.
    During the four-day visit, Lee will visit a maternity hospital, orphanage and children's hospital, the Kim Dae-jung peace centre said in the statement, who also organised a visit.
    However, it is uncertain whether Lee will meet Kim Jong Un or not. In 2011, Lee briefly met with Kim when she visited Pyongyang to offer condolences after the death of his father, Kim Jong II.
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