The two Koreas may organize a fresh peace summit in mid-August amid easing tensions over the North's nuclear arms program, a state think tank said yesterday.
Seoul needs a second summit, following the first seven years ago, to put inter-Korean ties back on track, and impoverished Pyongyang needs to secure aid from its southern neighbor, the Korea Institute for National Unification (KINU) said.
"It is cautiously forecast that both sides, in sequence, resume ministerial-level talks, exchange special envoys and hold an inter-Korean summit," the South's Unification Ministry research arm said.
Ministerial talks resumed last week following a six-nation deal last month for Pyongyang to disable its nuclear program in return for economic and diplomatic benefits.
Envoys could be exchanged around June 15, the anniversary of the first inter-Korean summit, to prepare for the second summit around Aug. 15, the Liberation Day to mark the end of Japan's rule over Korea, KINU said.
But South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun has said a new summit with Kim Jong-il would be difficult without the settlement of the North's nuclear issue. The main opposition Grand National Party opposes it before the presidential election in December.
"In case it is difficult to have the [second] inter-Korean summit, premier-level talks are expected to take place," KINU added.
The Koreas organized a first summit in Pyongyang on June 15, 2000, between South Korea's then president Kim Dae-Jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. The summit led to a series of peace initiatives. Kim Jong-Il promised to visit Seoul for a second summit but has yet to do so.
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