Ruling party leader hints at good news for inter-Korean relations

(ATTN: UPDATES with comment from presidential office in paras 5-6)
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's ruling party chief has hinted that the two Koreas may be working behind the scenes to break the deadlock in their relations, saying that unspecified "news" could come as early as next week.
The remark by Rep. Hong Joon-pyo of the Grand National Party immediately raised speculation that Seoul and Pyongyang may be trying to organize a new round of reunions for families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.
"There will be more news about inter-Korean relations as early as before the Chuseok holiday," Rep. Hong Joon-pyo of the Grand National Party (GNP) told reporters Thursday without elaborating. Chuseok is one of the biggest Korean holidays.
This year's Chuseok falls on Sept. 12, and the holiday begins next weekend.
But a presidential official said that nothing special is going on between the two sides.
"I have no idea on what basis he made the remark," the official said. "I don't see anything like that."



In recent weeks, Hong has made a series of comments raising hopes for improved relations with the North. Earlier this week, he said the two Koreas and Russia plan to meet in November to discuss a project to build a gas pipeline that will ship Siberian gas to the South via the North.
The two Koreas have usually held family reunions around the Chuseok holiday, which is celebrated in both countries, and other important holidays. More than a dozen reunions have been held since a landmark summit in 2000 brought together tens of thousands of family members separated by the war.
Last month the Unification Ministry, in charge of inter-Korean affairs, said it was not considering family reunions for the upcoming holiday.
But hopes are rising since Yu Woo-ik, a former ambassador to China, was recently named to replace hard-line minister Hyun In-taek. Yu has vowed to adopt a flexible policy toward the communist neighbor.
Millions of Koreans have been separated from their family members since the war, which ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty. More than 21,000 have been reunited either face-to-face or via video since the 2000 summit.
ejkim@yna.co.kr