The 34 South Korean labor leaders — 14 from the Korean Federation of Trade Unions and 20 from the Confederation of Korean Trade Unions — represent 1.8 million members. They will meet with leaders of the General Congress of People's Democratic Republic of Korea Trade Unions.

``We will discuss ways to boost exchanges to help contribute to peace and reconciliation on the Korean peninsula,'' said Lee Sang-yon, a spokesman for the federation.

The South Koreans were expected to arrive in North Korea on Tuesday for the talks at scenic Diamond mountain.

It is the second time the South Korean government has allowed labor leaders to visit North Korea this year. The labor leaders visited the North in October for the first time, although the North has extended several invitations in past years.

Relations between the Koreas have thawed significantly since a historic summit in June at which the nations' leaders pledged to work toward peace and an eventual reunification.

Separate from the labor leaders, ministerial-level officials from the two Koreas will begin talks Tuesday about a possible visit to Seoul by the North's ceremonial head of state, Kim Yong Nam. Such a trip could lay the groundwork for a possible visit to Seoul in the spring by Kim Jong Il, the North's top leader.

The Korean peninsula was divided into the communist North and pro-Western South in 1945. The Korean War ended without a peace treaty and there are no direct means of communications between private citizens of the two nations.

Also, the American Chamber of Commerce in (South) Korea said it has delayed a planned trip to the North for investment talks. A ten-member delegation flew to Beijing to enter North Korea on Saturday, but returned to Seoul after failing to obtain visas.

``Due to international circumstances they are not yet prepared to receive our delegation. They requested we delay our trip,'' the chamber said. The organization has first expressed its hope to visit the North about a year ago.

Copyright 2000 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Here are the following list of links for the latest International or political news:

Worldnews.com (Great site to find international news)

Asian news International (news about S.E Asia)

Asia Daily

Asian Fusion

Entertainment & Fashion news:

Anime Review:

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor
By the Jusenkyo Guide

In a contest of which anime character has the best luck, the contestants would quickly be narrowed down to Mihoshi from Tenchi Muyo, Ataru from Urusei Yatsura, and Justy Ueki Tylor. Although with Tylor there will always remain the question if it is truly luck. A little bit of a slob, a little bit of a ladies man (ok a lot of that), Tylor brings to his command the sure knowledge that soon he might retire and live off his pension! The Irresponsible Captain Tylor is a 26 episode series that takes place in the far future in a war between the United Planets Space Force and the Holly Raalgon Empire. It's a hilarious comedy that combines slap stick with serious space battles and the question of just who is this irresponsible man. Meant, somewhat, of a parody of Space Battleship Yamamoto (Star Blazers); Tylor starts off with 20 year old Justy Ueki Tylor deciding to join the space fleet because it's an easy life! He quickly proves he has a special talent of getting into trouble by seducing the testing AI, which explodes in a fit of feminine pique when he runs off without her. Assigned to the pension department when war is declared, he saves the day, sort of, by rescuing, sort of, an old retired admiral from a gang of terrorists, sort of. From there he is promoted to the command of the Soyokaze (Gentle Breeze: a rusty tin can by any other name) and the strangest crew ever to pilot the starry sky. From this point on, the story starts to meander through a series of conflicts, all of which Tylor beats with seemingly dumb luck. As a commander, his standing order to his crew is to do whatever they want. And with this crew of misfits that can mean open warfare in the corridors of the ship to the ship's beauty pageant and swimsuit contest. But as the series goes on, one starts to get a sense that perhaps Tylor isn't as dumb as he acts, that perhaps Tylor really IS a great commander. Or perhaps Tylor is just interested in slouching on the bridge and annoying his first officer. You'll have to decide. I highly recommend this series, its funny, exciting, and has enough of the touching scenes to keep things from becoming too weird. It is definitely a series to watch, especially the last episode when the crew finally starts following orders. After the series, there have been three OAVs released. However, these OAVs deal more with the crew and have a darker tone to it. The movie, Tylor's War, follows them in being more serious in nature, but still a great watch. The Irresponsible Captain Tylor was made in 1997 by Kadokawa Shoten and brought to the US by The Right Stuff International. And if anyone can tell me if it is dumb luck or Tylor is the greatest starship commander since James T. Kirk, please do so. 


Jason Smith

UPCOMING MOVIES!!!!!

JACKIE CHAN (SING LUNG):

OCTOBER 2000:
JACKIE CHAN UPDATE!!
RUSH HOUR 2 UPDATES!!

With shooting of RUSH HOUR 2 set to being in Hong Kong on November 6th with an opening lens ceremony, casting of parts reserved for Hong Kong actors began last Friday. Florence Kwok Siu-Wan , son of Chun Hon Suen Kwok-Ho, and Claire Yiu Ka-Lei were all photographed by reporters heading to screen test sessions. With the ability to speak fluent English, Suen and Kwok have inside tracks on roles. Of the three, only Suen, who admitted to trying out for a secondary villain role, would reveal which part they were auditioning for.

In addition to Kwok, Suen, and Yiu, Josie Ho Chiu-Yi, Maggie Q, and Jacky Lui Jung-Yin auditioned for roles. Lui revealed that he auditioned for a role of a villain but was not optimistic of his chances because of his poor English. Apart from Jackie Chan, Philip Chan Yan-Kin is the only other Hong Kong star cast in RUSH HOUR 2. Chan will play a high-ranking police officer.

Jordan Chan Siu-Chun was offered a role in RUSH HOUR 2 but declined due to a scheduling conflict. In fact, Chan was offered a role by RUSH HOUR director Brett Ratner in the first film but declined it due to similar reasons. Ratner, apparently, is impressed by Chan's work.

RUSH HOUR 2 will shoot in Hong Kong for five weeks before heading off to shoot on location in New York, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. With a budget of US$68.8 million, RUSH HOUR 2 is slated for release in Summer 2001 and may go up against JURASSIC PARK 3.


JACKIE CHAN ANNOUNCED THAT HE AND JET LI WERE PLANNING TO DO A FILM CALLED "MIDNIGHT RUN", WHERE JACKIE CHAN WOULD PLAY A ROBBER/THIEF AND JET LI WOULD PLAY A COP WHO IS OUT TO GET HIM. JOHN WOO WAS REPORTEDLY THEIR CHOICE FOR A DIRECTOR...MAN, WHAT ARE THEY WAITING FOR?!?

AUGUST 2000:
JACKIE CHAN UPDATE!!
RUSH HOUR 2 UPDATES!!

Reports have surfaced suggesting that the producers of RUSH HOUR 2 are in the midst of finalizing plans to shoot on location in Hong Kong for one month towards the end of the year. Upwards of HK$80 million is expected to be pumped into the local economy during the time the movie is shooting in Hong Kong. Apparently, Jackie Chan (left) pushed hard for a Hong Kong location shoot for RUSH HOUR 2 in order to showcase the city and promote tourism.

NOSEBLEED (RELEASE DATE: 2002)
STARRING: JACKIE CHAN
Jackie Chan plays the role of a window washer for a huge high rise building in New York.
He also finds romance with a waitress who works atop the buildings, at a restaurant.
A group of terrorists take over the building and cause havoc, to their misfortune, they picked a building that Jackie works at.

ACCIDENTAL SPY (RELEASE DATE: LUNAR NEW YEAR 2001)
STARRING: JACKIE CHAN

STEPHEN CHOW SING CHI:

LATEST UPDATE ABOUT THIS PRODUCTION:
GOD OF COOKERY was supposed to be reshot in Hollywood, with Jim Carey taking the role of Stephen Chow and Chow himself taking the place of the director. But rumors say that Jim Carey and the studio bosses don't want Chow as the director, so it seems like the whole project will be cancelled. Another reason for this might be the fact that Chow Sing Chi still is not allowed to work in the US because of Win`s Film Company. Chow worked for Win's Film Company on several movies in the past. Win's Film Company is thought to be a triad related company and Chow is suspected to be involved with the triads. Stephen's next movie will be SHAOLIN SOCCER KIDS II co-starring the beautiful actress/singer, Vicki Zhao (Chiu Mei).

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
(RELEASE DATE: JULY 15,2000 IN ASIA, CHRISTMAS 2000 IN THE US)
STARRING: CHOW YUN-FAT & MICHELLE YEOH
Ang Lee's Chinese-language samurai epic co-stars Michelle Yeoh and has begun shooting in China. It is tentatively scheduled for release in Asia on July 15, 2000 and in the United States by Sony Pictures Classics on Christmas 2000.

DECEMBER 2000 UPDATE:

MICHELLE YEOH HAD A VERY SERIOUS KNEE INJURY WHILE HANGING ON SOME STUNT WIRES DURING FILMING OF THIS MOVIE AND HAD LIGAMENTS COMPLETELY CUT FROM HER KNEES. SHE MISSED 3 MONTHS TO HEAL, AND CAME LIMPING BACK ON THE SET WITH HER DOCTOR, WHO ADVISED THAT IF YEOH HAD ANOTHER SIMILAR INJURY, SHE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO WALK NORMALLY AGAIN. MICHELLE IS ONE TOUGH COOKIE, SHE WENT BACK TO WORK AND DID HER JOB. THE MOVIE WAS COMPLETED, ACHES AND PAINS, NO PAIN, NO GAIN.

THIS MOVIE HAS ALREADY SET BOX OFFICE RECORDS IN TAIWAN, MALAYSIA, AND IS NOW SET TO TAKE AMERICA BY STORM.

APPARENTLY IT HAS BEEN PREVIEWED IN THE US, BY A SELECT MIX OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING STUDENTS AT THE COLLEGE OF DARTMOUTH, THE NEW YORK YANKEES AND NEW YORK METS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL TEAMS, JUST TO NAME A FEW.

THE MUSICAL SOUNDTRACK FOR "CROUCHING TIGER, LYING DRAGON" CONTAINS SONGS FROM YO-YO MA, COCO LEE, WU-TANG CLAN, JUST TO NAME A FEW ARTISTS.

THE FIGHT/ACTION CHOREOGRAPHER FOR "CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON" IS COREY YUEN.

SONY PRESENTS: CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON
http://www.crouchingtiger.com/