SEOUL (AFP) - South Korea said Saturday that the wife of its late president Kim Dae-Jung would visit the North next week on an unofficial visit to pay respects following the death of leader Kim Jong-Il. Former first lady Lee Hee-Ho, accompanied by Hyundai Group chairwoman Hyun Jung-Eun, will cross the heavily militarised border and travel overland to the capital Pyongyang on Monday via the Kaesong joint industrial park. They will not attend the funeral, set for Wednesday, but return after staying one night in the capital, accompanied by relatives and aides, a spokesman  said.
Kim Dae-Jung and Kim Jong-Il, who passed away on December 17, held the first-ever North-South summit in 2000. The Hyundai Group pioneered cross-border business exchanges.
South Korea, in a conciliatory move at a time of high tensions, on Wednesday expressed sympathy to the North’s people, but not the communist regime.
It said it would permit only Lee and Hyun’s delegation to visit the North to convey their private condolences. South Koreans must receive government permission for all contacts with the North.
Pyongyang has said it would welcome any South Korean mourners and lambasted Seoul for banning others to visit the North to express condolences, warning the move could have a “significant impact” on relations.