Primorye governor comments on relations with North Korea

North Korea is interested in the development of economic cooperation withthe Russian Far East, Sergey Darkin, governor of the Primorye region, saidin an interview with Japanese journalists yesterday. Responding to thequestion what does he think about Kim Chong-il, Darkin said that he was aconfident man who knew very well the situation in Russia and othercountries and who was interested in economy.Speaking about economic relations between North Korea and the Primoryeregion, the governor stressed that progress in this direction had beenachieved. The trade volume between North Korea and the Primorye regionamounted to about $2m in 2001. Priority directions of cooperation areagriculture, electrical energy exports and the fishing industry. The mostpromising direction is tourism, according to the governor. Earlier tens ofthousands of Russian tourists enjoyed staying at tourist complexes in NorthKorea, he specified, the Vostok Media agency reported..