LibriumArcana.Games

South Korea's incoming leader said he would meet his North Korean counterpart if it would help persuade Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear activities.

President-elect Lee Myung-bak said he would meet Kim Jong-il "any time" if it would ease tensions in the region.

The former executive takes office on 25 February, following his landslide win in December's general election.

He advocates a tougher line towards the North, calling for greater concessions in return for South Korean aid.

Economic deals

Speaking at a news conference, Mr Lee said that he was willing to talk to Mr Kim.

"If it will be a help to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue and improve South-North Korean relations, I can meet him any time," he said.

Such a meeting should be in Seoul, Mr Lee said, since the other two inter-Korean summits had taken place in Pyongyang.

Christopher Hill (left) meets Lee Myung-bak, 10 January
Last week Mr Hill briefed Mr Lee on the denuclearisation progress

In October, President Roh Moo-hyun travelled to North Korea for only the second ever meeting between leaders of the two nations, signing a declaration pledging closer economic ties.

Mr Lee said that his government would look at the feasibility of the economic agreements.

"October's inter-Korean summit agreements were those sealed in principle and lacking in details," Yonhap news agency quoted him as saying.

"My new government will study the implementation of the agreements from the perspective of feasibility, fiscal burdens on the people and the national consensus," he said.

Mr Lee has consistently linked progress on the nuclear issue to the provision of economic packages.

In February 2006, North Korea agreed to end its nuclear programme in return for aid and diplomatic incentives.

It subsequently closed its Yongbyon nuclear reactor but then missed a year-end deadline to provide a full declaration of all its nuclear activities.

Envoys from the five nations involved in the deal with North Korea have been holding talks in a bid to move the process forward.

Last week US negotiator Christopher Hill met Mr Lee in Seoul to discuss the issue.