leading south koreans allowed to mourn kim in pyongyang
Friday 7 March 2025
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Leading South Koreans allowed to mourn Kim in Pyongyang

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Leading South Koreans allowed to mourn Kim in Pyongyang

Pyongyang - Arabstoday

Two prominent South Koreans have crossed the border into the North to pay their respects to the late leader of the secretive state, Kim Jong-il. Former South Korean First Lady Lee Hee-ho and Hyundai firm head Hyun Jung-Eun will spend two days in Pyongyang. Seoul has banned most South Koreans from visiting the North to express condolences, angering its neighbour. Separately, the North's main newspaper has called new leader Kim Jong-un the head of the ruling party's key body. The Rodong Sinmun paper described Kim Jong-il's son as the head of the Workers' Party Central Committee, meaning that he was now in control of one of the country's highest decision-making bodies as he was preparing for the transfer of power. North Korea is trying to carry on the world's only Communist family dynasty. Kim Jong-il, who inherited power from his father in 1994, died on 17 December - reportedly after suffering a heart attack. His son is seen by many analysts as a political novice, thought to be in his late 20s. Mrs Lee, 89, and Mrs Hyu, 56, crossed the border into the North on Monday. "I hope that our visit to the North will help improve South-North relations," the former first lady was quoted as saying by the South's Yonhap news agency. The two women have been given special permission to pay their respects in person, because both families have received personal condolences from the North in the past, the BBC's Lucy Williamson in Seoul reports. Both have also strong ties to the North, our correspondent adds. Former President Kim Dae-jung held the first inter-Korea summit with Kim Jong-il in 2000, while Hyundai has been a key economic investor into Pyongyang. But Seoul has stressed that they are visiting in a purely personal capacity. The two women are expected to return home on Tuesday - a day before the state funeral of Kim Jong-il. The North has condemned Seoul's ban on cross-border condolence visits by South Koreans, warning that this would have "grave implications" for bilateral relations.

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

leading south koreans allowed to mourn kim in pyongyang leading south koreans allowed to mourn kim in pyongyang

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

leading south koreans allowed to mourn kim in pyongyang leading south koreans allowed to mourn kim in pyongyang

 



GMT 23:05 2017 Thursday ,27 July

No smiles as Fu suffers 'heartbreaking' defeat

GMT 11:54 2018 Friday ,05 January

Cancer deaths decline again in US

GMT 10:08 2015 Monday ,22 June

Snacking on protein can improve diet quality

GMT 10:46 2017 Tuesday ,11 April

German investor confidence leaps in April

GMT 13:58 2017 Friday ,17 March

Christo and Jeanne-Claude winner announced

GMT 13:58 2017 Wednesday ,04 October

Some 300,000 protest in Barcelona

GMT 18:58 2018 Wednesday ,05 September

PM to attend Defence Day event as chief guest

GMT 17:13 2017 Sunday ,31 December

UAE Ambassador visits ERC mobile clinics in Pakistan

GMT 21:23 2011 Saturday ,14 May

SQU professor wins award in Bahrain

GMT 16:09 2014 Friday ,15 August

L'ANZA to launch Keratin Healing Oil Combing Cream
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday