South Korean officials visit North Korea for summit preparations

A group of more than 90 South Koreans began a trip Sunday to North Korea to make preparations, largely logistical, for the upcoming inter-Korean summit.

President Moon Jae-in is scheduled to travel to Pyongyang from Tuesday till Thursday for what would be his third meeting with the North's leader Kim Jong-un.

The advance team of 93 government officials, technology-related staff and reporters, crossed the border on 19 buses.

It's led by Suh Ho, presidential secretary for unification policy.

"The South-North summit talks, for which all people long, are just three days away. The advance team will make sure it's well-prepared," he told reporters just before departure at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) office in Paju, Gyeonggi Province.

Moon, meanwhile, plans to use the direct flight route over the Yellow Sea for his first trip to Pyongyang as the South's president.

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The North's media carried a series of reports on the upcoming summit.

"Regarding the historic Pyongyang summit, expectations and interest are running unprecedentedly high in South Korea," claimed the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the country's ruling party.

It said the two sides will certainly established a "unified strong country" by continuing the peace mood.

The North's external propaganda websites -- Uriminzokkiri and Meari -- also released similar reports on the upcoming summit. (Yonhap)