President Lee Myung-bak is scheduled to encounter North Korea's Premier Kim Yong-nam at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics in Beijing on Friday.

Mr. Lee will make a two-day visit to China on Friday and Saturday. He and the North Korean official are expected to run into each other Friday on at least two occasions at Chinese President Hu Jintao's welcoming luncheon and the Olympic opening ceremony.

They are scheduled to be seated at the same table at the welcoming luncheon, raising speculation about a potential exchange of views on pending inter-Korean issues.

Due to strained inter-Korean relations the interaction may be limited to simple greetings.

In addition, there is a possibility the North Korean official will have an encounter with U.S. President George W. Bush in Beijing.