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N. Korean Official Dies of Crash Injuries
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - A top North Korean official involved in reconciliation efforts with South Korea has died of injuries suffered in a traffic accident four months ago, the Northâs official media said Monday. Kim Yong Sun, 69, was a top aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, a member of the Central Committee of the Workersâ Party and Pyongyangâs top policy coordinator on relations with South Korea since 1992. He died Sunday after treatment in a hospital following the June 16 accident.The highways in North Korea are eight lanes wide and have virtually no traffic. How did he wreck? Wonder if he had a "Saudi-style" accident. Kim was involved in the reconciliation efforts that followed a 2000 summit between the leaders of the two Koreas, said KCNA, the Northâs official news agency. Kim was the only senior North Korean official who sat in at the summit between Kim Jong Il and South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, whose five-year term ended in February. Inter-Korean relations flourished following the summit, but chilled in the past year The agency said Kim was awarded the ``Kim Il Sung Order,ââ the highest accolade in the communist country. It is named after the late national founder and father of Kim Jong Il. ``He strove hard to raise the international authority of the Party and strengthen the international solidarity with our revolution,ââ KCNA said. Wonder if the medal is edible? The last time Kim Yong Sunâs whereabouts were reported by North Koreaâs state-run news media, he accompanied Kim Jong Il on a tour of farms on June 13. Might have had an intrathecal injection of lead while int he back seat of the limo. There was no immediate official reaction from South Korea. But the South Korean news agency Yonhap quoted President Roh Moo-hyunâs national security adviser Ra Jong-yil as saying Seoul might consider sending a messenger to deliver Posted by: Steve White 2003-10-27 |
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