[imText1]With one day left until the Inter Korea Summit, there appears to be an air of nonchalance in North Korea with the exception of major cities like Pyongyang. This kind of ambience is interpreted to be an unclear disclosure of information by the North Korean Government to the people as to the date of the Summit.

The capitol city of Pyongyang is very actively pursuing the projects of getting together the citizens and beautifying the city. Different organizations in the people’s units, districts offices, factories, and companies are busy to gather a welcoming group and participants for the Arirang performance.

However, it turns out that the majority of the citizens outside of the main cities like that of Pyongyang are unaware of the Summit itself and the date that President Roh will be arriving to North Korea.

It is quite different from the Summit of 2000 when President Kim Dae Joong visited the North. There is a claim that there is less attention to this year’s Summit than there was during the 2002 visit to North Korea by former Prime Minister Koizumi of Japan.

People paid attention during the first summit because it was the first time that a South Korean president had visited North Korea since the country’s division. The North Korean defectors claim that, “It was as if we were on the verge of reunification. Even the North Korean government was saying that it was a victory for Kim Jong Il’s foreign affairs strategy.”

One of the citizens of South Hamkyung, Lee Hong Cheol, said in a phone conversation on the 1st that “I came to Moosan and only then realized that there was a Summit tomorrow. I read the date somewhere in the newspaper before, but I wasn’t sure until what date it had been postponed.”

When asked, “Is there anything reported about the Summit via newspaper or television?” he replied, “The government is not relaying any information on it.”

When asked whether there is some difficulty obtaining a certificate to allow people to move to the border area and Pyongyang, he replied, “Well, I don’t know. I never thought about linking that to the Summit. Although there were some incidences, I never bothered to think twice about it. I guess it’s a bit different now that I’m here.”

In Shinuiju, a citizen from North Pyongan said the same thing. He said in a phone conversation with his family residing in South Korea that, “I heard that the president from the South was coming but not many people in my neighborhood knew about it. Even if they did, not many people cared.”

The situation in the border areas is similar.

Mr. Kim living in Hoiryeong in North Hamkyung said, “At our village’s People’s Unit meeting, there has been an increase in security and a continuance of fleeing drills. Because of the increased security and mobilization, we are aware that the Summit is on its way.”

One of the border guards in Hoireong of North Hamkyung said, “The summit is on my mind. We are watching Chinese TV. But whatever is spoken by authorities is not told.”

The Rodong Shinmun (the North Korean state newspaper), along with other sources of propaganda, have reported only on restricted press activities since the August 8th broadcast on the Second Inter-Korea Summit. Even the people in South Korea are quite nonchalant about the Summit which is raising a concern that this might be a Summit that neither the North nor the South cares about.