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North Korean leader makes rare appearance

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il showed scant enthusiasm as he welcomed South Korea's president to Pyongyang yesterday, while orchestrated crowds of thousands cheered the start of the second-ever summit between the divided Koreas.

The greeting was a stark contrast to the first North-South summit in 2000, when Kim greeted then-South Korean president Kim Dae-jung with smiles and clasped both his hands tightly -- an emotional moment that softened the North Korean strongman's image to South Koreans and the world.

This time, North Korea's leader appeared reserved and unemotional at the outdoor welcoming ceremony, walking slowly and occasionally clapping lightly to encourage the crowd of thousands who waved red and pink paper flowers. The North's official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim was greeted by cheers from citizens "rocking the earth and sky."

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun appeared to revel in the moment, waving and smiling broadly before reviewing a goose-stepping North Korean military honor guard wielding rifles with bayonets -- part of its 1 million-strong forces, which face the South across the world's most heavily armed frontier.

The 12-minute encounter was the only known meeting yesterday between the leaders, who were set to begin formal talks today.

According to South Korean news pool reports, they did not exchange any substantive words beyond simply telling each other, "I'm glad to meet you."

Roh has said his goal at the summit is fostering peace and prosperity between the North and South, which remain technically at war since a 1953 ceasefire halted the Korean War. Ties have warmed in the seven years since the first summit, however.

But Roh has not given any specifics about his proposals, prompting criticism from conservatives at home that the summit is an ego trip for Roh, seeking to establish a legacy for his unpopular administration that ends in February.

Both Roh and Kim also hope to keep the surging conservatives from winning the December presidential election in South Korea, where they hold a commanding lead in opinion polls.

The main opposition Grand National Party is more skeptical of relations with the North, insisting aid be conditional on nuclear disarmament along with reforms to the country's centralized economy.

Roh's eager embrace of the North has also caused friction with Seoul's ally, Washington, which believes relations between the Koreas should only follow progress in Pyongyang scaling back its nuclear ambitions.

During Roh's 200km journey by road from Seoul, he stepped out of his vehicle to walk across the border dividing the Koreas in the center of the Demilitarized Zone -- the first time any Korean leader has crossed the land border. In the first summit, the South's Kim flew to Pyongyang.

"This line is a wall that has divided the nation for half a century. Our people have suffered from too many hardships and development has been held up due to this wall," Roh said before crossing.

"This line will be gradually erased and the wall will fall," he said. "I will make efforts to make my walk across the border an occasion to remove the forbidden wall and move toward peace and prosperity."

Upon entering Pyongyang, Roh switched to an open-top car and was joined by the North's No. 2 leader, Kim Yong-nam. Both rode for about 20 minutes through the North's showcase capital, waving to hundreds of thousands of residents who chanted "Reunification of the Fatherland!" and "Welcome!"

Roh and members of his Cabinet later held talks with Kim Yong-nam and top North Korean officials and then shared dinner, where both sides offered toasts calling for closer ties.

This week's summit comes a year after the North conducted its first test of a nuclear bomb.

Also see story:
Editorial: Unification is harder than it looks

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