Business leaders in Moon Jae-in's delegation to DPRK

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The heir to the Samsung empire and leaders of several other Republic of Korea (ROK) conglomerates will travel to Pyongyang this week for an inter-Korean summit, Seoul announced on Sunday.

Samsung's Lee Jae-yong and the heads of the SK and LG groups will be part of President Moon Jae-in's delegation at a meeting with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) leader Kim Jong Un, Moon's office said.

Kim Yong-hwan, vice chairman of the Hyundai Motor Group, will be also among the entourage as well as Hyun Jeong-eun, leader of the Hyundai Group which pioneered many cross-border economic projects.

Also on the delegation list are POSCO Chairman Choi Jeong-woo and the local car-sharing service SoCar CEO Lee Jae-ung, according to Yonhap news agency.

The delegation of about 200 includes top Seoul officials including its spy chief, foreign minister and defense chief as well as prominent figures in economy, religion, culture and sports, Moon's office said.

Other delegates include Archbishop Hyginus Kim Hee-jung of the Catholic church, a female ice hockey player who led the joint inter-Korean team which competed in the 2018 Winter Olympics, and K-pop star Ailee, according to reports.

"The upcoming summit will help pave the way for more vibrant cross-border exchanges," Moon's office said in a statement.

Moon is set to fly to Pyongyang on Tuesday for his first visit to the DPRK since he took office.

He is hoping to play the role of a mediator between Pyongyang and Washington this week. He is also expected to discuss several joint economic projects agreed during his first summit with Kim at the border truce village of Panmunjom in April.

(With input from AFP)

(Cover: ROK President Moon Jae-in (L) shakes hands with DPRK leader Kim Jong Un before their second summit at the north side of the truce village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), May 26, 2018. /VCG Photo)