Park likely won't attend Russia's war victory event

South Korea plans to send a special envoy to Russia for Moscow's war victory anniversary next month, the foreign ministry here said Saturday, indicating the Seoul president likely will not attend the event expected to bring the North Korean leader.

Russia has sent invitations to South Korean President Park Geun-hye and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, as well as other leaders, for its May ceremony to mark the 70th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, and Pyongyang has sent a positive signal, according to its officials.

"Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun (of the ruling Saenuri Party) is scheduled to attend (the event) as Park's special envoy," Seoul's foreign ministry said in a statement.

"The dispatch of the special envoy is expected to boost Seoul-Moscow relations on the year marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral ties."

Whether Park will fly to Russia has drawn attention as the visit would lead to her first meeting with the North Korean leader. 

Though Park and Kim have said they are willing to hold an inter-Korean summit, neither side has officially made a proposal amid constant tensions.

If Kim visits Russia, it would be his first foreign trip after taking office in 2011. His predecessors have never chosen any other country in the world over China as their first destination for a trip abroad. (Yonhap)