(2nd LD) Presidential panel chief to visit North for forum on economic cooperation involving two Koreas, Russia

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SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- The chief of South Korea's presidential panel on economic cooperation with North Korea and Eurasia will visit the North this week to attend a forum arranged by Russia on three-country cooperation, the unification ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry has approved the Presidential Committee on Northern Economic Cooperation's plan to visit North Korea for two days starting Friday.

The 11-member delegation led by committee chief Song Young-gil recently received an invitation from Pyongyang to attend the seminar in the northeastern border region of Rason. The region was designated as a special economic zone in 1991 for economic cooperation with Russia.

The seminar is organized by Russia to discuss economic cooperation involving the three countries.

The delegation is also expected to tour local industrial areas, including the North's port city of Rajin, the ministry said.

They will likely fly to Vladivostok, Russia, on Thursday and then take a train to the North.

kokobj@yna.co.kr
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