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WORLD NEWSWednesday 18 November
North Korean diplomat: UN chief should improve relations
EDITH M. LEDERER U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks during the U.N. Academic Impact Seoul Forum But Ri, an ambassador-at-
Associated Press large in the Foreign Ministry,
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A in Seoul, South Korea. A senior North Korean diplomat said Tuesday he knows nothing about said “it is very natural, it is
senior North Korean diplo- ordinary for the U.N. secre-
mat said Tuesday he knows reported plans for a visit to Pyongyang by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, but that if the tary-general to visit its mem-
nothing about reported ber states.”
plans for a visit to Pyong- U.N. chief does come he should help improve relations between the two Koreas and between U.N. spokesman Stephane
yang by U.N. Secretary- Dujarric said Tuesday the
General Ban Ki-moon, but the North and the United Nations. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) secretary-general will not
that if the U.N. chief does be visiting North Korea this
come he should help im- week. He said Ban has a
prove relations between full week of meetings at
the two Koreas and be- U.N. headquarters and will
tween the North and the be heading to the sum-
United Nations. mit of the Association of
Ri Hung Sik was respond- Southeast Asian Nations in
ing to questions at a news Malaysia at the start of the
conference Tuesday about weekend. But Dujarric said
a South Korean news report “the secretary-general has
that the U.N. chief would always made it clear that
visit the North Korean capi- he is ready to help play a
tal this week for a possible role to enhance dialogue
meeting with leader Kim and stability on the Korean
Jong Un. He repeated peninsula.” Six months ago,
twice, “I know nothing.” Pyongyang at the last min-
ute canceled an invitation
North Korea: for Ban to visit an inter-Kore-
an factory park in the North
South Korean who crossed border illegally freed Korean city of Kaesong.
Ban has said North Ko-
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) government permission, said it was releasing him as freed Won Moon Joo, a rea gave no reason for the
— North Korea on Tues- said an official from Seoul’s a humanitarian gesture. South Korean national cancellation. He had not
day sent back a South Ko- Unification Ministry, who South Koreans who cross who is a student for New planned to visit Pyongyang
rean man it held for about didn’t want to be named, into the impoverished, to- York University, six months at that time. The reclusive
six weeks for entering the citing office rules. talitarian North Korea for after he had been arrest- northeast Asian nation has
country illegally, South Ko- The man, identified only the purpose of defecting ed for crossing the border been ruled by a single fam-
rean officials said. by his surname Lee, was are rare. The North often from China into North Ko- ily since the creation of the
The 48-year-old, who was detained by North Ko- repatriates such individu- rea. The release of Joo, Communist-aligned Demo-
sent by the North through rean officials on Sept. 30 als, although it holds lon- whose alleged crime cratic People’s Republic
the border village of Pan- after entering the North ger detainees it accuses was relatively minor, was of Korea or DPRK — as the
munjom, is currently being from China. The ministry of- of more serious crimes such seen by analysts as a sign North is officially known
investigated by South Ko- ficial said the North did not as spying to try to win politi- that Pyongyang was try- — when Korea was parti-
rean officials over why he elaborate on the circum- cal concessions. ing to improve its ties with tioned in 1945 at the end of
entered the North without stances of Lee’s entry and North Korea last month Seoul.q World War II.q
