The government has allowed a main opposition lawmaker to visit North Korea ahead of the third anniversary of the death of former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.
 
Unification Ministry spokesman Lim Byeong-cheol said Monday that his ministry approved a visit to North Korea by Rep. Park Jie-won of the New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) and six other people.
 
During their visit to the North Korean border city of Gaesong on Tuesday, Park and his entourage will deliver a memorial wreath sent by Lee Hee-ho, the widow of former President Kim Dae-jung.
 
The ministry spokesman said Seoul approved Park’s visit as it is in response to the North sending a memorial wreath in August on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of former President Kim Dae-jung’s death.  
 
He added that the government decided to endorse the visit on humanitarian grounds.
 
The Unification Ministry also allowed eight delegates of South Korean company Hyundai Asan to visit North Korea and deliver a memorial wreath for the late North Korean leader.