South Korea may join forces with the communist North as guests of honor at the world's largest book fair next year in Frankfurt.
An official of the Korean Organizing Committee for the 54th Frankfurt Book Fair told reporters Thursday that Seoul wants North Korea to participate at the Guest of Honor of events at the book fair.
The official said Seoul hopes to benefit from German experience in overcoming its national division at the fair in October 2005 the same month Germany will be celebrating the 15th anniversary of its reunification.
Fair director Volker Neumann said the event aimed to welcome Korea as a whole in the breadth of its literary traditions.
Neumann said it is not yet clear whether and in what form an official participation by North Korea will be possible, but nevertheless, planning for the program so far does include the presence of artists from North Korea.
This year's book fair, which kicked off on Wednesday, will conclude on Sunday.