NORTH KOREA:Looking haggard and even senile by some reports, North Korea's president, an unsmiling Kim Jong-il, met South Korean leader Roh Moo-hyun in Pyongyang yesterday. It was only the second summit between the countries still technically at war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a ceasefire.
Wearing his favourite pale brown jumper beneath the khaki military suit that has become his trademark, the North Korean leader made no move to greet Mr Roh as he stepped out of his open-topped car. The South Korean delegation had travelled 3½ hours by car from Seoul and earlier walked across the heavily fortified demilitarised zone dividing the two countries.
The three-day summit takes place almost one year after North Korea tested a nuclear bomb, turning international public opinion against the secretive Stalinist enclave. Since then, the success of six-party talks and pledges to dismantle its nuclear programme have led to warmer relations between Pyongyang and the rest of the world. The reclusive leader rarely smiled or talked to his southern counterpart during an encounter described by South Korean news agency Yonhap as "awkward".
This could augur badly for the summit, which aims to deal with tough issues such as ensuring a nuclear-free Korean peninsula and expanding cross-border economic co-operation. However, his caution may have been due to the Korean culture of respecting seniority - the 65-year-old Mr Kim is four years older than Mr Roh.
South Korean media noted how the dour greeting was in sharp contrast to the warm welcome received in 2000 for then South Korean president Kim Tae-chung.
Thousands of North Koreans waved pink paper flowers, and a military guard of honour bearing rifles with bayonets heralded the first encounter outside a performing arts centre in the North Korean capital. The two left afterwards in separate cars. Every public appearance by Mr Kim is closely read for what information can be gleaned about his health. The South Korean news agency said his hair had turned quite white, he was partly balding and gave the impression of being "rather senile and weak". There have been reports that a team of German doctors visited Pyongyang in May to conduct a heart operation.
As he crossed the demilitarised zone at the North Korean city of Kaesong, Mr Roh said Koreans had suffered too many hardships because of the line crossing the peninsula. "This line will be gradually erased and the wall will fall. I will make efforts to make my walk across the border an occasion to remove the forbidden wall and move toward peace and prosperity."