(3rd LD) Seoul okays N.K. delegation`s visit to pay respects to late leader

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDATES with ministry's approving the visit in para
2, details of delegation's schedule in paras 8-9)
By Tony Chang
SEOUL, Aug. 20 (Yonhap) -- Seoul allowed a North Korean delegation to visit the
South to pay respects to late former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung,
government officials said Thursday.
"We've issued certificates allowing the delegation to visit South Korea," an
official said.
The delegation is due in Seoul around 3 p.m. on Friday by air for a two-day trip.
A state funeral for the late leader will be held at the National Assembly on
Sunday.
North Korea said it will send a six-member delegation to Seoul to pay tribute to
Kim, whose first-ever inter-Korean summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in
2000 initiated a period of cross-border reconciliation and cooperation.
North Korea earlier sent a fax message to the Kim Dae Jung Peace Center, a
non-profit organization established by the former president, giving the names of
those in the delegation and other details of their two-day trip that begins
Friday.
The delegation includes Kim Ki-nam, a secretary of the Workers' Party Central
Committee, and Kim Yang-gon, a party department director in charge of
inter-Korean affairs, and Won Tong-yon, a ranking member of The Korea
Asia-Pacific Peace Committee, which handles inter-Korean affairs, according to
the ministry.
Kim Ki-nam is known to be a key confidant of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il,
having accompanied the leader 57 times during 94 reported public inspection tours
since the beginning of the year.
Upon their arrival, the North's delegation is scheduled to head straight to the
National Assembly, where the official memorial altar has been set up.
No other schedule have been set. Unification Ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung
said accommodations will be handled primarily by the funeral committee made up of
government officials, Kim's family and close aides.
In response to a question on the possibility of a meeting between the delegation
and government officials, Chun said that the ministry has received no request
from the North.
"We have no plan for a meeting nor have we received a request. We will be
reviewing (the possibility) depending on the circumstances."
On Wednesday, the North Korean leader sent a condolence message to the former
president's family. The Korea Asia-Pacific Peace Committee later sent a fax
message saying the North Korean leader will send a delegation of "special envoys"
to the funeral.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)