LEGISLATORS CALL FOR CROSS-STRAIT RECONCILIATION
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LEGISLATORS CALL FOR CROSS-STRAIT RECONCILIATION
Taipei, June 20 (CNA) A group of legislators who tried to observe the historic summit between the two Koreas returned to Taipei on Tuesday and urged the leaders of mainland China and Taiwan to lay aside some of their differences and reach consensus on other subjects. The delegation made up of legislators from across the political spectrum was not permitted to enter North Korea to observe the meeting in Pyongyang, so spent their six-day trip in Seoul, where they visited various South Korean government officials, including Unification Minister Park Jae-kyu. Speaking at press conference in the Legislative Yuan upon the group's return, New Party Legislator Fung Ting-Kuo pointed out that in view of the way the two Korean heads managed to reconcile, the leaders of mainland China and Taiwan should put forth their best efforts to initiate a dialogue for the benefit of the people of both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Fung went on to say that the political and economic leaders of South Korea concluded that reunification of the Korean peninsula must be made under the premise that South Korea's economic condition must not be dragged down. They were quoted by Fung as saying that at a time when the national average wage in the south is ten times higher than in the north, reunification must be postponed. According to Fung, the South Korean leaders said reunification will have to wait until the South's national average wage is only three to four times higher than in the north. Fung said that this viewpoint is worth taking as a reference for the Taiwan government. People First Party Legislator Shen Chi-hwei said that President Chen Shui-bian showed goodwill and friendliness to his mainland counterpart in his first press conference as president held on Tuesday, and added that President Jiang Zemin of mainland China should respond in kind. Shen added that it was said that North Korean President Kim Jong II privately revealed that Taiwan businessmen had expressed willingness to invest in North Korea if the summit meeting between two Koreas went smoothly, a quote which Shen said shows Kim's high expectations regarding investment from Taiwan. She also said that some high-ranking South Korean government officials are also looking forward to cooperation between Taiwan and South Korean firms with regard to investment in North Korea. (By Shammy Chao)