Kim's visit to Russia to contribute to normalization of bilateral ties � � North Korean leader Kim Jong-il returned to Pyongyang Saturday, ending a 24-day journey across Russia, in which experts here said the North and Russian leaders hoped to demonstrate their newly found alliance on issues like the U.S. missile defense program and American forces stationed in South Korea. Kim's trip to Russia, his third overseas trip as the North Korean leader, was highlighted by his summit talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, which produced a joint declaration that mentioned the two key security issues involving the United States. Official North Korean media described Kim's trip to Russia as a successful one, saying it provided a "historic opportunity" to further develop cooperative relations between the two countries and to ensure peace and stability in the world. At the end of their summit talks Aug. 4, Kim and Putin issued a joint declaration pledging to renew strategic and economic ties and denouncing the United States for its missile defense program. "North Korea and Russia seem to have recovered their relations to some extent by exchanging visits by their top leaders," said an expert in Russian affairs, who asked for anonymity. A year ago, Putin made the first visit to Pyongyang as Russian president and agreed to promote friendly relations with North Korea during talks with Kim. The now-dissolved Soviet Union was a major military and economic supporter for North Korea, but relations soured after Russia recognized pro-Western South Korea in 1990. In the post-Soviet era, Russia, with its own economic problems, has virtually neglected impoverished North Korea. In 1995, it backed away from a decades-old military alliance with the North. But the former staunch communist allies began to mend strained ties in earnest last year when they signed a new pact replacing the old alliance treaty, which obliged Russia to send troops to support North Korea in the event of war. Despite their demonstration that their countries' relations were normalized, Kim and Putin fell short of reaching agreements on concrete cooperative projects except for the connection of the Trans-Siberian Railway (TSR) with an inter-Korean railroad. "Economic hardships their countries are facing must have made it difficult for the two leaders to promote various cooperative programs," the anonymous expert said. Contrary to an initial expectation, there were no military deal accords between Pyongyang and Moscow during Kim's visit to Russia. Kim showed particular interest in purchasing Russia's high-tech military hardware by visiting major defense industry facilities during his trip to Russia. Moreover, the two countries stopped short of working on how to finance the multi-billion dollar work to extend the TSR through North Korea to the South Korean port of Busan. Russia reportedly expects South Korea to contribute by investing some of the debt the former Soviet Union owes to Seoul in the railway project. But Seoul officials reacted negatively to the idea. As a follow-up measure to the Moscow-Pyongyang summit declaration, the two nations signed a rail link cooperation accord Tuesday that could lead to the reconnection of a railway link between South and North Korea. But Kim and Putin strengthened their countries' ties in response to a controversial missile defense plan being pushed by the U.S. government, which targets the North and some other "rogue" states. ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) In their joint statement, Kim called for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Korea and Putin expressed his "understanding" of the North's position. But it is widely viewed here that Kim's call is diplomatic rhetoric aimed at easing angry reactions from hard-liners in the North to Washington's push to discuss even the communist country's conventional weapons in future security talks with the North. The two leaders also shared the view that the issue of unification of the Korean Peninsula should be resolved independently and peacefully by both Koreas. Putin made it clear that Russia will play a "constructive and responsible role" for Korean peace. Despite Putin's recommendation for Kim to make a return visit to South Korea for a second inter-Korean summit, however, the North Korean leader did not mention details regarding his trip to Seoul. ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) By Shin Yong-bae Staff reporter � 2001.08.20 � Joint Liberation Day celebration widens ideologial chasm in Korea � � Seoul officials hoped that a joint celebration with North Korea of the peninsula's liberation from Japan's colonial rule could bring the two sides closer and induce more southerners to recognize the need for reunification. On the contrary, a string of controversies surrounding the South Korean delegates' activities in the North is deepening ideological and political discrepancies in society. On Friday, a 337-member South Korean delegation to the Liberation Day celebrations, visited a thatched house where late North Korean President Kim Il-sung is said to have been born. The cottage, "Mangyongdae," has been an ideologically important place for North Koreans who call it the "cradle of revolution" led by the founder of the communist country. Some Southern delegates left notes in the visitors' book that may violate the South's anti-communist National Security Law, which bans pro-North activities. "Let's achieve unification by inheriting the Mangyongdae spirit," a note said. "I witnessed the trace of history here," said another. South Korean conservative opposition lawmakers immediately took issue with the statements. They demanded that Unification Minister Lim Dong-won resign, assuming responsibility for the government's approval of the delegation's North Korea trip. Even the United Liberal Democrats (ULD), the ruling Millennium Democratic Party (MDP)'s coalition partner, called for punitive actions against ministry officials. Some MDP members, however, tried to play down the controversies, arguing that the cases are nothing but personal wrongdoings. The Mangyongdae episode followed a previous controversy involving some progressive members of the South Korean delegation, which arrived in Pyongyang last Wednesday. Hours after their arrival, more than 100 delegates attended a ceremony held at a politically sensitive monument in the North Korean capital, despite their earlier pledge not to participate in the event. Some of them did the same the next day. South Korean prosecutors said they would investigate the activities of the defiant delegates when they return home tomorrow. "It's inevitable to investigate them to find the reasons why they made such notes at Mangyongdae and if it violates the National Security Law," a prosecution official said. The government will convene a National Security Council meeting, to be presided over by Minister Lim, today to discuss the controversies and other pending issues, officials said. The South Korean visitors, who are composed of civic, labor and religious group leaders, visited Mt. Baekdu and Mt. Myohyang in two groups yesterday. They are pushing for a dinner with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il today. Kim returned home from his visit to Russia Saturday. 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