ROK private delegations visit DPRK to pay condolences

Two private delegations, led by South Korea's former first lady and the chairwoman of Hyundai Group respectively,wentto the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday to pay condolences over the death of DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Il.

In this photo released by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s official KCNA news agency, the body of DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Il lies in the bier at the Kumsusan Memorial in Pyongyang, DPRK, Dec. 20, 2011. [Xinhua/KCNA]

In this photo released by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s official KCNA news agency, the body of DPRK's top leader Kim Jong Il lies in the bier at the Kumsusan Memorial in Pyongyang, DPRK, Dec. 20, 2011. [Xinhua/KCNA]

A 13-member delegation led by Lee Hee-ho, the widow of the late former president Kim Dae-jung, and another five-member delegation led by Hyun Jeong-eun, the wife of the business group's late chairman Chung Mong-hun, left for Pyongyang for a two-day trip.

"I think it's the right thing to pay condolences as Kim Jong Ilsent a condolence delegation to Seoul when my husband passed away in August 2009," Lee said in a written message.

She also expressed the hope thattheir trip to the DPRK will help improve relations between South Korea and the DPRK.

The two ladies got the special permission from the government to travel to theDPRK because the DPRK sent separate condolence delegations to Seoul after the deaths of their husbands.

No government officials, politicians or other prominent figures were included in the two delegations.

The two delegati! ons will not attend the funeral of Kim Jong Il on Wednesday.

They are scheduled to hold a luncheon meeting with some DPRK's officials in Pyongyang later Monday before paying their respects to Kim, according to the Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs.

Last week, the South Korean government expressed its sympathy to the people of the DPRK following the death ofKim Jong Ilon Dec. 17, which was announced two days later.

However, it decided not to send an official delegation to the funeral. After Seoul's decision, the DPRK has denounced ROK for not sending an official delegation and banning its people from visiting the DPRK to express their condolences.


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