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Highest-Ranking North Korean Official Ever to Visit Washington Set to Meet with President Clinton Today

Aired October 10, 2000 - 9:17 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The highest-ranking North Korean official ever to visit Washington will meet with President Clinton today. The U.S. is hoping that the visit will further ease tensions on the Korean peninsula, where some 37,000 U.S. troops are now stationed.

CNN White House correspondent Major Garrett joining us now live at the White House.

Major, good morning.

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Well, history in the making here at the White House. Of course, the United States and North Korea, adversaries throughout the Cold War, and relations tense even to this day. But a sign of warming, a significant sign, U.S. officials say. The visit today, here at the White House momentarily, a vice marshal, North Korean vice marshal, Jo Myong Rok. Jo Myong Rok is the second most powerful official in Kim Jong Il's North Korean government, and he is the highest ranking official ever to visit the White House. He is also a former air force commander.

White House officials consider this visit not only important substantively, but important symbolically. And the symbolic developments in North Korea have been profound this year. Of course, the North and South Korean reproachment began with the summit that occurred earlier this year. White House considers this visit a part of the symbolic gesture of the West opening itself slightly to North Korea, as North Korea opens itself up to West.

On the agenda today in the Oval Office, where the president will meet with Mr. Rok. The secretary of state, Madeleine Albright, will join him; also his national security adviser, Samuel Berger, will sit in on the meeting.

The agenda items: to improve relations with North Korea; also to establish further contacts and further sense from the North Koreans about the pace of its reunification possibly with South Korea. Also to talk to the North Koreans and thank them for the prospect -- for the process rather that has been going on for several year of recovering the remains of U.S. service personnel killed in the Korean War. Also, lastly, the administration wants to get a sense from the North Korean about its flight testing and the missile flight moratorium it imposed on itself in exchange for Western aid.

So several agenda items on the table. But first and foremost, a historic visit here at the White House of both substantial -- substantive rather, and historic qualities -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Major Garrett, at the White House, thank you.

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