Two Koreas to Hold Joint Celebration
2003-09-30
A delegation of South Korean religious and civic leaders are set to leave on Tuesday for a five-day trip to North Korea to attend inter-Korean festivities marking National Foundation Day, the Yonhap News Agency reported quoting South Korean organizers.
The 300-member delegation will fly to Pyongyang on an Air Koryo flight at 8:30 a.m. today to take part in the celebration.
The joint celebration, the second of its kind, will also draw hundreds of religious and social group leaders from North Korea and abroad, the Kaechonjol national joint celebration preparation committee said.
Kaechonjol is the day marking the foundation of ancient Korea in 2333 B.C. by the nation's founder Dangun, according to legend. It is one of the few holidays observed by both Koreas.
Committee officials said this year's celebration will be bigger than ever because it is timed with the 10th anniversary of the North's construction of a mausoleum for Dangun. The North claimed in October 1993 that it found the ancient tomb of Dangun and his spouse in eastern Pyongyang and made it into a mausoleum.
Source : www.korea.net
