UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Monday that he hoped the upcoming inter-Korean summit will lead to the reunification of the Korea Peninsula.

    Ban, the first-ever UN chief coming from the Korean Peninsula, told reporters at the UN Headquarters in New York at the beginning of his meeting with Ambassador Pak Gil Yon, Permanent Representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK),that the summit will ultimately lead to the reunification of the Peninsula.

    "I am confident that this summit meeting will pave the groundwork for peace and security of the Korean Peninsula, ultimately leading this path to the reunification of the Korea Peninsula," he said.

    Ban reiterated his support to this peace process, saying he will spare no efforts to facilitate such a peace negotiation between South and North Korea.

    Meanwhile, he hoped that both representatives here at the United Nations will closely coordinate for follow-up measures to create internationally very favorable atmosphere.

    Pak said in response to Ban's remarks that his country is very much hopeful for the summit, noting that it will be contributable to the promotion of the relations between the North and South, the co-prosperity of the Korean nation, and the relaxation of tensions in the regional Northeast Asia as well as the world over.

    South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun will travel to the DPRK on Tuesday to Thursday and hold summit meeting with DPRK top leader Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang.