Former Hyundai Asan vice chairman Kim Yoon-kyu offered his opinions on business in North Korea in a meeting at the Los Angeles office of the Advisory Council on Democratic and Peaceful Unification on Wednesday (local time)./Yonhap Mt. Baekdu Tourism Project Stalled Miffed N.Korea Cuts Mt.Kumgang Visitor Quota North Korea Makes Hyundai Asan Sweat Hyundai Chairwoman Speaks Out on N.Korea Projects N.Korea Offers Kaesong Tourism Project to Lotte It Was High Time Someone Stood Up to North Korea Seoul 'Urged Hyundai to Give In to N.Korean Demand' Lotte Tourism Poised to Accept N.Korea Offer N.Korea Blasts Hyundai for Ouster of Executive N.Korea ‘Will See Hyundai Chairwoman Now’ N.Korea Digs In Heels Over Kaesong Tourism N.Korea’s Dollar Profits from Asan Trips Soar 76 Percent

Kim made the remarks at a meeting hosted by the Advisory Council on Democratic and Peaceful Unification in Los Angeles on Wednesday (local time), one broadcaster reported.

According to the report, Kim said he would continue to engage in business projects with Pyongyang if he could help or is needed. Inter-Korean business projects are not a person’s private business, but a national project, he said. Kim also said that if anyone wanted to conduct business with the North, he would connect them to Pyongyang. But he denied reports that he was driving forward a separate business project with North Korea.

Being perplexed about Kim’s remarks, Hyundai is trying to grasp his real intention. A Hyundai Asan official said that if Kim intended to exclude Hyundai Asan from North Korea business projects, he would betray Hyundai Asan and its employees. He should play a role in thawing the company's frozen relationship with the North, the official added.

Immediately after being dismissed as CEO of Hyundai Asan on August 19, Kim stayed in Qingdao, China, for 10 days. He returned to Korea on August 29 and then left for the United States again. He is expected to return to Seoul after Chuseok, the nation’s Thanksgiving holiday.

(englishnews@chosun.com )