A top-level EU delegation, led by the Swedish Prime Minister, Mr Goran Persson, arrived in Pyongyang yesterday for the start of a visit aimed at reunifying the Korean peninsula.
The EU team promised on arrival to make expertise available to assist North Korean economic reform.
Mr Persson told a press conference that an agenda for talks today with the reclusive North Korean leader, President Kim Jung-il, was agreed at a brief meeting. He said Mr Kim Jungil's approach to the talks was very positive.
At a banquet hosted by the North Korean leader for the delegation last night, Mr Persson said the historic summit in Pyongyang last June between the leaders of both parts of Korea set in motion a process to which the EU attached the greatest importance.
"We have come here for frank discussions on the challenges and prospects for the Korean peninsula. We like to put forward ideas as to how the EU could contribute to reducing tensions, possibly offering advice and assistance," he said.
"We are, among other things, prepared to make available expertise on questions like the roles of state and market in a dynamic economy."
The delegation will raise human rights concerns, economic reform and the issue of missile control during the talks in Pyongyang today.
The delegation includes the EU foreign policy and security chief, Mr Javier Solana, and External Relations Commissioner Mr Chris Patten. It will move on to South Korea tonight for talks with President Kim Daejung.
Mr Patten said yesterday the delegation had a brief meeting with representatives of the 10 non-governmental organisations and foreign aid organisations in North Korea, including the Irish agency, Concern.
He said problems about access, monitoring and reporting by the organisations will be raised at today's meeting.
Aid agencies say up to two million people have died in North Korea since 1995 when a series of natural disasters triggered famine conditions.
North Korea also suffers from a chronic shortage of fertiliser, fuel and electricity. In Pyongyang last night very few houses were lit up.
The visit is the highest-level Western diplomatic mission to North Korea since the visit of the former US secretary of state, Ms Madeleine Albright, last October.
It is the first time an EU Prime Minister has visited the Stalinist country.
Sweden, which holds the EU presidency, was one of the few Western countries to maintain diplomatic ties with North Korea during the Cold War. Ireland and France are today the only two member-states not to have established diplomatic relations with the "hermit kingdom".
The EU team was greeted at Pyonyang airport by the president of the North Korean Parliament, Mr Kim Young-nam. About 1,000 citizens dressed in traditional dress and waving imitation flowers chanted: "Welcome to our country."
Seventy-five journalists, the largest group of foreign media representatives to be allowed into the isolated country, travelled with the delegation.
They were monitored carefully by security personnel but many managed to "escape" from the hotel to walk unaccompanied around the city.
It was clear that many staple food items were in short supply. Several shops visited by The Irish Times stocked only mineral water, soft drinks, biscuit packets and nuts.
There was no dairy or fresh produce to be seen in any citycentre shops. In one store, which had many empty shelves, people were queuing up with empty containers for what looked like rice.
Food aid is being distributed in the urban and rural areas, and people were getting food "virtually free", one security aide said.