KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: There's been a slight delay in the start of the first-ever summit between rival neighbors North and South Korea. North Korea feels it's necessary for preparation. South Korea does not seem to object. And we learn more from CNN's Sohn Jia-ae in Seoul.</s>SOHN JIA-AE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just two days before the first South-North summit in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, South Koreans put on a festive parade in the center of Seoul, including the chorus of what seems to be the song of the moment, "Our Hope Is Unification." What the revelers didn't know was that North Korea was calling to say they needed to delay the summit for a day. South Korea's presidential spokesman said the North cited unavoidable technical reasons. The South's unification minister said the message was that the North needed more time to set up security procedures for the South Korean president. President Kim Tae-Chung was quoted as saying they accepted the delay in consideration of the host. If anything, the delay seemed to remind South Koreans that bridging the hostile relations between the two Koreas was going to take some time, and the mood on Seoul streets seemed to reflect that cautious attitude.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): When I first heard about the delay, I was worried that something had gone wrong.</s>JIA-AE: But for this mother of two, she felt there was more at stake.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): This is very important. This could determine whether our country's going to be at peace by the time my children grow up.</s>JIA-AE: Such hopes that fueled many marketing events related to the summit. One computer retailer had children participating in their own mock summit, a summit, unlike the real one, that went according to schedule. (on camera): While Seoul officials say it is only a temporary delay, and that the summit itself is not in jeopardy, the unforeseen glitch has shown that it is too early to be overly optimistic. Sohn Jia-ae, CNN, Seoul.
Summit of North and South Korea Encounters First Delay