hankyoreh

President Roh Moo-hyun, returning to South Korea Thursday evening after winding up his three-day visit to North Korea, said that he confirmed North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's determination to denuclearize the communist North.

"My trip to North Korea was very satisfactory," Roh said at a ceremony for his return held near the inter-Korean border.

"I and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il came to understand each other better. I confirmed Kim's commitment to the denuclearization of the North. I found no problem in North Korea's implementation of its denuclearization," said the president.

Roh went on to say that the North Korean leader called in the North's chief nuclear negotiator, Kim Kye-gwan, during their summit talks on Wednesday and had him give a lengthy explanation on the North's denuclearization plan.

"I think the latest inter-Korean summit talks will contribute to the success of the six-party talks (on disabling the North's nuclear program). I appreciate North Korea's commitment to denuclearization," said Roh.

"I and Kim also agreed to reduce military tension between two Koreas through dialogue and negotiation," said Roh, proposing that the inter-Korean maritime border dispute in the West Sea be seen from an economic aspect, not military viewpoint.

In the inter-Korean joint declaration, Roh and Kim agreed to create a special peace zone in the disputed inter-Korean maritime border.

Roh also said he proposed Kim make a visit to South Korea, but the North Korean leader turned down his offer.

"North Korean leader Kim suggested delaying his visit to the South until the appropriate moment. Instead, Kim said he would send his deputy (and North Korea's titular head of state) Kim Yong-nam to Seoul for further talks," said Roh.

Giving a lengthy explanation on his inter-Korean agreement on economic cooperation, Roh said, "The agreement to build an inter-Korean joint shipbuilding complex (in Nampo, near Pyongyang) is very important."


SEOUL, Oct. 4 (Yonhap)