President Roh Moo-hyun has attended a dinner hosted by North Korea's parliamentary leader Kim Yong-nam.

During a speech at the dinner held at Mokrankwan Banquet Hall, Kim, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, said both South and North Korea are faced with a holy task of opening a new chapter of national unification by further developing bilateral ties.

Mr. Roh said in a speech that he was overwhelmed with emotion while walking across the inter-Korean border and that he has been trying not to abandon dialogue and cooperation under any circumstances.

Noting that a new history of reconciliation and cooperation is unfolding on the Korean Peninsula, the president proposed both sides lead the way toward a new order in Northeast Asia.