A Seoul-based daily says former President Kim Dae-jung has been secretly preparing to make a visit to North Korea.

The Segye Ilbo newspaper, quoting a source familiar with inter-Korean economic projects, said Monday that Kim had originally planned the Pyongyang visit to coincide with the fourth anniversary of the June 15th South-North Joint Declaration. However, the source said the visit had been delayed due to the hectic political schedule in the South, including the April 15th general election and the June 5th by-elections.

The source said that Kim's Pyongyang trip was being pursued independently from a recent proposal within the ruling camp for sending the former head of state to the North as President Roh Moo-hyun's special envoy upon the anniversary of the Joint Declaration.

The source did not rule out the possibility of Kim going to the North as Pres. Roh's special envoy, if such a visit were to be arranged.

The reports said that if the former president visits the North, he would urge North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to make a return visit to Seoul and to promote peace and reconciliation with the South.