Hillary asked to join congressional visit

SEOUL — South Korea’s opposition Millennium Democratic Party is trying to arrange for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton to visit North Korea along with other U.S. senators.

MDP Chairman Han Hwa-kap said he plans to meet with U.S. Ambassador Christopher Hill to discuss the issue, the Korea Times reported.

“If possible, the visit will come sometime later this year,” said an MDP member who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Mr. Han, who is leading the Asian part of the Asia-U.S. Network — a forum of lawmakers from the two continents — sent invitations to five U.S. senators earlier this year, including Republican Sens. Conrad Burns of Montana and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, to visit North Korea.

The MDP said Mrs. Clinton hoped to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to discuss the nuclear issue.

“We understand that both the South Korean and U.S. governments would support Senator Hillary Clinton’s North Korea visit,” an aide to the Korean opposition leader said.