Kim Il Sung, who had ruled North Korea for 46 years, dies of a heart attack just before the summit, which is canceled. Washington and Seoul propose four-party Korean talks with Pyongyang and Beijing. South Korean President Kim Dae Jung proposes an inter-Korean summit in his inauguration speech. North Korea does not respond. Two Koreas hold vice-ministerial talks in Beijing to discuss fertilizer aid to North Korea.
Talks collapse, partly because of a naval clash a week earlier in the Yellow Sea.
Two Koreas start secret talks in China on an inter-Korean summit.