Lee Hee-ho and Hyun Jeong-eun to Pave the Way Again

Lee Hee-ho, Chairwoman of the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center and Hyun Jeong-eun, Chairwoman of Hyundai Group travelled to North Korea on 26 and offered condolences over Kim Jong-il’s death in Kumsusan Memorial Palace, Pyongyang. These two ladies actually met Kim Jong-un and paid respects.

On 19, North Korea announced its decision not to welcome foreign delegations but the two ladies were allowed to offer their condolences. It seems to reflect the special relationship between Kim Jong-il and Former President Kim Dae-jung and Former Chairman Jung Mong-hun. Kim Jong-il had announced joint declaration with Former President Kim Dae-jung and had developed inter-Korean economic cooperation with Hyundai Group.

In 2009, Kim Jong-il sent delegations headed by Party Secretary Kim Ki-nam to the President’s Kim Dae-jung’s funeral and also in 2001, he sent delegations to the Chairman Jung Mong-hun’s funeral.

Both Mrs Lee and Mrs Hyun met Kim Jong-il respectively. Mrs Lee met him during a landmark summit in June 2000 as First Lady. Mrs Hyun met him three times in regard to the businesses run by her father-in-law Chung Ju-young and once she was invited to the Kim Jong-il’s special aeroplane.

Besides, these two ladies are symbols of inter-Korean relations in the field of politics and business. Under the current Lee Myung-bak administration, inter-Korean relations have been under strain. Aid for North Korea has stopped and also Kumkangsan tourism has stopped since a Kumkangsan tourist was shot dead in July 2008. Kumkangsan tourism started in 1998, the first year of the Kim Dae-jung administration which is nine years after the Founder of Hyundai Group Chung Ju-young’s visit to North Korea in 1989.

Mrs Lee and Mrs Hyun became first South Korean figures to meet Kim Jong-un. They spent a night at Baekhwawon, North Korea’s state guesthouse, met Kim Young-nam, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly on 27, visited the Gaesung Industrial Complex and then returned. The Gaesung Industrial Complex started in 2004 under the Roh Moo-hyun administration.

North Korea received them with the greatest respect. The messages they must have shared are not known yet but their visit is at the centre of attention to forecast the future inter-Korean relations.

Park So-hye  fristar@theasian.asia