The Korean Summit

On Wednesday August 8, the governments of North and South Korea announced the 2nd time historical joint-summit in Pyongyang. At the end of this month, the South Korean President, Roh Moo-hyun, will fly into Pyongyang for a meeting with the North's leader Kim Jong Il. For the North, this summit is:1.  to ensure more financial and material aid from the South.2.  to make good gestures with the soft-approaching South administration. It will likely be troubling for the North if the opposition party of South Korea, seen to be a hardliner, wins the December national election in the South.3.  to strengthen relations with its neighboring and attempt to marginalize Japan within the six-party system.------------------------------For the South, President Roh's party is desperate to win the December national election as his party is increasingly getting unpopular in the country. He hopes it to be a boost for the upcoming election. We should not rule out positive results of the Korean summit. But this will perhaps not become any more than the great gesture. When it comes to North Korea, you have no reason to be optimistic.