Foreigner Ministers of S.Korea and DPRK Cross Paths in Laos

Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and his DPRK counterpart Ri Yong-ho briefly shook hands on the sidelines of the Asian Regional Forum in Vientiane, Laos on Monday

It was the first face-to-face encounter between the two foreign ministers since Ri took the post.

A Foreign Ministry official said Ri and his entourage were heading out to a bilateral meeting and passed Yun, "creating a natural environment for the encounter."

Yun extended his hand first. The two muttered a polite formula but there was no further exchange of words between them.

The ARF was Ri's first international meeting as foreign minister, and unlike his predecessors he seems to have a more active style.

As soon as he arrived in Vientiane he headed straight to a meeting with Laotian President Bounnhang Vorachith. He returned briefly to his hotel room and proceeded to meet Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.

His main aim seems to have been to water down a statement by the participating foreign ministers criticizing North Korea's nuclear weapons program. The host nation wields significant power over the statement.

One diplomatic source said, "Ri Yong-ho appears to have gone to Laos with a brief to weaken international cooperation bolstering sanctions against the North." The largely rural communist country is North Korea's closest ally in ASEAN and could be influenced to some degree."

Laotian security wielded tazers at South Korean reporters who attempted to approach Ri for comments.

(THE CHOSUNLIBO)