By I guess when someone gives you a $500 million dollar bribe, the least you could do is send his family proper condolences:
North Korea sent a letter to Seoul Wednesday saying it will dispatch a delegation of special envoys to pay tribute to the late former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung.
Kim, who died from multiple organ failure a day earlier at age 85, is one of the few South Korean dignitaries well respected in North Korea. The lifelong fighter for democracy held a historic first summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in 2000, which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize later that year.
The North Korean leader “arranged a delegation of special envoys to visit (the funeral). The delegation will bring a wreath sent by (him),” said the letter from the Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, the North’s semi-official organ in charge of inter-Korean affairs. [Yonhap]
It is interesting that when former President Roh Moo-hyun died the North Koreans just sent his wife a condolence message but sent no delegation even though Roh sent far more money up North than even Kim Dae-jung did.
11:09 am on August 19th, 2009 1
Certainly makes one wonder. Did Kim have any connection with the North? Or is the envoy a means of delivering a message? Maybe Kim Il Jong just admired KDJ. But that would be a very unusual move for no reason. Tune in tommorrow for the continuing drama of "Whats KIJ up to this time).
5:57 pm on August 19th, 2009 2
It just illustrates that Pyongyang is sincere when it says it wants face time. And, RMH did die in bad form, no matter what slack one gives him or how much one admires him. For all RMH's record, je was just #2 to KDJ.
1:40 pm on August 20th, 2009 3
Pyongyang has never been sincere. And never is there any give without take.