The chairperson of South Korea's Hyundai Group extended her stay in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for a second time on Thursday, the company said.

"I just received a phone call (from Hyun's entourage in Pyongyang). Chairman Hyun extended her stay for one more day," Cho Kun-shik, chief of Hyundai Asan Corp. was quoted as saying to reporters before heading to the Kaesong Joint Industrial Park.

Cho, however, did not specify on detailed reasons behind the delay.

Hyun Jung-eun, chief of the conglomerate, was originally scheduled to return on Wednesday, which she later delayed by one day in order to discuss the release of a Hyundai employee who has been detained by the DPRK authorities since late March.

Thursday's delay, which marks the second extension, suggests that she is yet to meet with the DPRK leader Kim Jong-il, South Korea's local media reported.

Hyun left for Pyongyang earlier on Monday to seek the release of the detained worker, following U.S. former president Clinton, who flew to the country and won the release of two female journalists who have been imprisoned for illegally intruding into the DPRK territory.

(Xinhua News Agency August 13, 2009)