S.Korean officials visit Pyongyang for leaders' summit preparations

A group of over 90 South Korean officials on Sunday embarked on a trip to Pyongyang to make preparations for the upcoming summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korea's Kim Jong-un.

President Moon will visit Pyongyang from Tuesday to Thursday for what would be his third meeting with the North's leader, reports Yonhap News Agency.

The advance team of 93 government officials, technology-related staff and reporters, crossed the border on 19 buses.

"The South-North summit talks, for which all people long, are just three days away. The advance team will make sure it's well-prepared," Suh Ho, Seoul's presidential secretary for unification policy, told reporters just before departure.

Moon, meanwhile, plans to use the direct flight route over the Yellow Sea for his first trip to Pyongyang as the South's President.

The North's media carried a series of reports on the upcoming summit.

"Regarding the historic Pyongyang summit, expectations and interest are running unprecedentedly high in South Korea," claimed the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the country's ruling party.

It said the two sides will certainly established a "unified strong country" by continuing the peace mood.

The North's external propaganda websites -- Uriminzokkiri and Meari -- also released similar reports on the upcoming summit.

--IANS

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