South Korean leader returns from trip to North
- 13 years ago
Amid a blaze of flashbulbs, South Korea's conservative ruling party head Hong Joon-pyo returns from a rare visit to his isolated northern neighbour.
Hong was paying a visit to Kaesong industrial park in North Korea - the only joint project between the two countries.
The park employs more than 46,000 North Koreans in South Korean-owned businesses and provides valuable hard currency for the sanctions-hit North.
Hong did not meet any North Korean officials but the visit was still a significant step after three years of frozen ties.
(SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S RULING GRAND NATIONAL PARTY HEAD HONG JOON-PYO SAYING:
"With the visit there is a momentum, we will try to transform the government's policy towards the North, to make it a more flexible principle of mutual reinforcement."
The rare visit did not stop South Korea showing off its military might in a joint live-fire exercise with U.S. forces however - ahead of its 63rd Armed Forces Day on Saturday.
More than 1300 soldiers took part in the drill using various weapons including the K-1 and K-9 mobile gun.
Relations between North and South Korea reached breaking point last year when the South blamed the North for a torpedo attack that left 46 of its sailors dead.
The North denies any involvement.
Sunita Rappai, Reuters
Hong was paying a visit to Kaesong industrial park in North Korea - the only joint project between the two countries.
The park employs more than 46,000 North Koreans in South Korean-owned businesses and provides valuable hard currency for the sanctions-hit North.
Hong did not meet any North Korean officials but the visit was still a significant step after three years of frozen ties.
(SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S RULING GRAND NATIONAL PARTY HEAD HONG JOON-PYO SAYING:
"With the visit there is a momentum, we will try to transform the government's policy towards the North, to make it a more flexible principle of mutual reinforcement."
The rare visit did not stop South Korea showing off its military might in a joint live-fire exercise with U.S. forces however - ahead of its 63rd Armed Forces Day on Saturday.
More than 1300 soldiers took part in the drill using various weapons including the K-1 and K-9 mobile gun.
Relations between North and South Korea reached breaking point last year when the South blamed the North for a torpedo attack that left 46 of its sailors dead.
The North denies any involvement.
Sunita Rappai, Reuters