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Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, left, and Ri Jong-hyok, vice chairman of the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee of North Korea, head to ride a self-driving Zero Shuttle bus at Pangyo Techno Valley in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Yonhap |
The ruling Democratic Party (DP) chief plans to meet with a visiting North Korean official in charge of inter-Korean ties on Thursday, party officials said.
Lee Hae-chan, the DP's chairman, plans to have dinner with Ri Jong-hyok, vice chairman of the Korean Asia-Pacific Peace Committee (KAPPC), party officials said.
Details about their planned meeting have yet to be revealed, but they are expected to discuss a proposed parliamentary meeting between the two Koreas and civilian exchanges.
Leading a five-member delegation, Ri arrived in South Korea on Wednesday to attend an international forum to be held in Goyang, north of Seoul, and tour various local facilities.
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The Democratic Party President Lee Hae-chan. Yonhap |
Ri is known for his long involvement in inter-Korean affairs. The KAPPC is an agency affiliated with the ruling Workers' Party of Korea.
National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang met Ri last month in Geneva on the sidelines of an international conference. They discussed ways to hold the first-ever parliamentary meeting between the Koreas.
South Korea earlier proposed holding an inter-Korean parliamentary meeting this year, an offer that the North accepted in principle.
But working-level talks to prepare for the gathering have yet to be held as the North wanted to have time to push for them. (Yonhap)