President Roh Moo-hyun said he could clearly see North Korean leader Kim Jong-il had a firm determination for peace, but that he also felt a "wall" between the two Koreas.

Mr. Roh made the remark at a luncheon with his entourage and the joint press corps in Pyongyang after first-round talks with the North Korean leader on Wednesday morning.

The president said that he had frank discussions with the North Korean leader, and that they agreed on inter-Korean economic cooperation and exchange to promote co-prosperity, reconciliationa and reunification.

However, Mr. Roh said he felt a "wall" at talks with the North Korean leader, noting that the North still has a number of suspicions about the South.

Mr. Roh added that the South has to overcome the wall of distrust and make more efforts to make progress in what Seoul wants to do.

The president also called for careful consideration of the North's position, noting that while the South boasts the Gaesong Industrial Complex as a showcase of the North's openness and reform, Kim does not like those terms.

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