CIA chief to visit Seoul to discuss N.K., security

U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director David Petraeus will visit South Korea to discuss developments regarding North Korea after the death of Kim Jong-il.

According to reports, Petraeus is scheduled to visit Seoul at the end of the week and meet President Lee Myung-bak and South Korean intelligence officials. 

Government officials Petraeus is reportedly planning to meet include National Intelligence Service Chief Won Sei-hoon, Minister of National Defense Kim Kwan-jin and Senior Presidential Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Security Chun Yung-woo. The CIA director is also reportedly scheduled to meet the commander of U.S. Forces Korea, Gen. James Thurman.

“Director Petraeus will visit Korea this weekend to meet officials from our intelligence departments to discuss issues such as the situation on the Korean Peninsula and developments in North Korea after the death of Kim Jong-il,” an unnamed government official was quoted as saying by a local news agency.

The leader of North Korea died on Dec. 17, and his youngest son, Kim Jong-un, has since assumed power.

Petraeus’ visit is said to be part of a tour of selected nations as the new chief of the CIA.

Petraeus, who retired from the U.S. Army as a four-star general in 2011, replaced Leon Panetta as the head of the U.S. intelligence agency on Sept. 6.

By Choi He-suk  (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)