hankyoreh

North Korea's major newspapers are giving extensive coverage of South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun's ongoing summit trip, with the Rodong Sinmun, the organ of the (North's) Korea Workers' Party Central Committee, front-paging his arrival in Pyongyang on Tuesday.

The North Korean daily extensively covered Roh's arrival on the entire front page. It carried three photos, including one showing Roh and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-il shaking hands, as well as an article entitled "President Roh Moo-hyun Arrives in Pyongyang; the Great Leader Comrade Kim Jong-il Welcomes President Roh."

The four-page North Korean daily carried a total of six stories covering activities by Roh, first lady Kwon Yang-suk and the South Korean delegates on Pages 1 through 3.

A headline story bylined by the "Rodong Sinmun Political News Team" stated, "The summit between the leaders from the North and the South carries great significance in taking North-South relations to a higher level based on the historic 'June 15 North-South Joint Declaration' and the spirit of 'by our nation itself.' It is paving a new way for peace on the Korean Peninsula, co-prosperity of the nation, and the reunification of the fatherland."

The North Korean daily reiterated the spirit of "by our nation itself":"Pyongyang residents lined up along the roads of the capital and welcomed the guests. This forcefully showed once again that independence, peace, reunification, and national prosperity are leading the way under the spirit of 'by our nation itself.' It also demonstrates that nothing in the world can prevent the march of the Korean people, who are struggling to build a reunified Great Prosperous Powerful Nation."

PYONGYANG, Oct. 4 (Yonhap)