By Xinhua
Beijing : Leaders of the Korean peninsula are expected to exchange views on the issues of common prosperity at the inter-Korean Summit due to start next month, according to officials.
On the sidelines of the fifth Sino-Korean Strategic dialogue, which ended in Beijing Tuesday, chairman of the presidential committee on northeast Asian Cooperation Initiative of South Korea Lee Suboon said the South Korea delegation would try to convince their counterparts from the North Korea that they would benefit from opening up to the outside world.
Lee said the South Korean side would especially hope to facilitate the development of two special economic zones, the Sinuijiu and Rajin-Sonbong before considering the establishment of more development zones.
Lee proposed the establishment of a Northeast Asian Development Bank modelled on the Asian Development Bank to bankroll the economic turnaround of not only the North Korea, but also northeastern China and Russia’s far east.
He said Seoul would strive to cultivate “a cooperative partnership” with North Korea and seek mutual benefits by bringing more domestic investors to Pyongyang rather than simply offering the latter free economic aid.
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Il are scheduled to meet from Oct 2 to 4 in Pyongyang, the second-ever summit between the two countries.
Last month, the North Korea suspended the summit, citing devastating floods that have killed some 600 people and destroyed large areas of farmland.