S Korea reviewing civic group's request to visit N Korea

The Government of South Korea today said it is evaluating a civic group's request to travel to North Korea to discuss inter-Korean exchanges.

The civic group said it had received an invitation from North Korea to visit Pyongyang from June 20-23. It had also asked for an official permit from the ministry.

"Relevant government agencies and ministries are reviewing it," Yonhap quoted the unification ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun, as saying.

The object of this trip to Pyongyang is to discuss cooperation in the agreements that the leaders of the two Koreas reached in April and May summits. It will also discuss ways to arrange various joint events to boost cross-border exchanges.

The two Koreas held their first summit on June 15 in 2000.

On April 27, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held their historic summit at the truce village of Panmunjom, wherein they promised to halt all hostile acts against each other, boosting cross-border exchanges and cooperation.

The leaders held another summit on May 26 in which they reaffirmed their commitment to uphold the spirit of the Panmunjom Declaration.

After the 1950-53 Korean War, that was the fourth summit since the Korean Peninsula was divided.