South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun and his wife Kwon Yang-sook walk toward the border line as they head for North Korea in Paju, north of Seoul, October 2, 2007.[Agencies]
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Pyongyang has participated in international talks including the US and other regional powers on its nuclear program that were set to reconvene Tuesday. A peace agreement to end the Korean War would require participation of the US and China, which also fought in that conflict.
US State Department spokesman Tom Casey said Monday that the United States generally supports such inter-Korean contacts, and that nuclear matters would likely be discussed.
He added, "I don't think that there's anything particular about their conversations, though, that will change substantively the discussions that just occurred in Beijing." He declined to comment further.
South Korean officials have declined to give specifics on what Seoul seeks at the summit, asserting that simply having any meeting is valuable.
"Even if we do not reach an agreement in many areas, it would still be a meaningful achievement to narrow the gap in understanding and to enhance confidence in each other," Roh said.
Accompanied by industry leaders, politicians and cultural figures, Roh will spend hours in dialogue with Kim, tour DPRK and watch a mass dance and musical spectacle, the Arirang.
Roh leaves office in February. The conservative opposition has criticized the summit as a political ploy aimed at bolstering Roh's sagging popularity, along with that of liberals aligned with him, just two months before a presidential election to choose ROK's next president.
