April 20, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] South Korean business moguls, including Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, are expected to visit Pyongyang as members of President Moon Jae-in’s delegation for the inter-Korean summit to be held on Sept. 18-20.

“Blue House has recently contacted conglomerates, including Samsung and Hyundai Motor, to ask the business leaders to accompany President Moon on his trip to North Korea next week,” local daily Chosun Ilbo quoted an industry official as saying.

“Although the businesses are concerned about the US-led economic sanctions on North Korea, it appears to be hard to reject the presidential office’s offer,” the unnamed official added.

The top business executives who have been invited include Hyundai Motor Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, KCCI Chairman Park Yong-man and Korea Employers Federation Chairman Sohn Kyung-sik.

The newspaper also quoted a Blue House official as saying, “It is true that the presidential office has specifically selected the business leaders as delegates.”

Former President Kim Dae-jung’s delegation for the 2000 inter-Korea summit in Pyongyang included the former chairmen of Hyundai Asan, LG Group, SK Group and Hyundai Motor, along with a former vice chairman of Samsung Electronics and other business tycoons.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)