Kim Jong-il to go South 'in spring'

The two leaders met for the first time in June

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il will visit South Korea early next year, according to reports.

It will be the first time a leader of the Stalinist state has visited its capitalist neighbour since the division of the peninsula half a century ago.

In another development it was revealed that defence ministers from the two Cold War rivals will hold talks in Hong Kong within the next few weeks.

The two Koreas are still technically at war

Kim Jong-il promised to visit Seoul when he met South Korean President Kim Dae-jung at a historic summit in Pyongyang in June, in which the two leaders agreed to move toward peace.

Previous reports had suggested he might make the trip before the end of the year.

But a South Korean government official said on Wednesday that the follow-up summit would not take place until spring 2001 because of the two leaders' busy schedules.

Military tensions

Meanwhile, the two sides have agreed that their defence ministers should meet in Hong Kong.

North Korean envoy Kim Yong-sun is visiting the South

Easing military tensions is one of the major hurdles in the reconciliation process.

A South Korean official said they had opted for Hong Kong because it would be "awkward for the top military officials to visit each other's side at this time".

North Korea recently opened a consulate in Hong Kong.

The talks between the South's Cho Sung-tae and his Northern counterpart Kim Il-chol are most likely to take place from 26-29 September.

President Kim Dae-jung wants the defence ministers to reach an agreement on notifying each other of troop movements.

The talks are also expected to look at ways of easing tensions along the heavily fortified border and setting up a military hotline.

Reunions

Details of Kim Jong-il's visit to Seoul were given as his personal emissary Kim Yong-sun began the third day of a trip to the South.

Mr Kim met Lim Dong-won, a special adviser to President Kim Dae-jung, on the southern resort island of Cheju.

Reports said the two officials had agreed to new talks next week on further reunions for families who have been separated for half a century by the division of Korea.

The two sides are still technically at war as their 1950-53 conflict ended with an armistice rather than a peace agreement.