S. Korea urges Olympic talks

SEOUL South Korea made a move Monday to begin preliminarycontacts with North Korea in a bid that could include the North inthe Summer Olympic Games.

National Assembly speaker Kim Chae-sun suggested in a letter tohis North Korean counterpart, Yang Hyung-sup, that working talks beheld next week at the truce village of Panmunjom.

Kim said he had named 15 delegates and asked North Korea to dothe same for the talks, whose focus would be to prepare for fullparliamentary talks on various tension-easing measures.

The South Korean letter was in response to two North Koreanproposals last month calling for a joint session of the twocountries' legislatures to draft a non-aggression pact and to discussthe North's possible entry into the Olympic Games.

South Korean officials said North Korea's demand to co-host theGames could be a stumbling block, but said they want to use theoccasion to open contact with the North. Seoul officials saidresumption of contact with North Korea would help ensure the safetyof the Games.