[USFK Forums] Two Koreas try to draw up accord [Korea Herald]

[C. Y. Lee]

[Uploaded by C. Y. Lee on Saturday, December 17, 2005]

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The Korea Herald, Friday, December 16, 2005

Koreas try to draw up accord

North requests to get rid of political, military `barriers`

By Annie I. Bang

JEJU - South and North Korea have struggled to hammer out a joint press statement as they failed to respond to each other`s demands yesterday at the 17th Cabinet-level talks on Jeju Island.

Chung Dong-young, head of the South Korean delegation, during an unofficial meeting with his North Korean counterpart Kwon Ho-ung on Wednesday night, urged the North to return to nuclear disarmament talks, Kim Chun-sig, the spokesman of the South`s delegates, told the reporters.

However the North has requested to get rid of political and military "barriers" between the two countries first, saying the nuclear issue needs to be dealt with the United States primarily, Kim said.

"The North holds the position that the lack of progress (with the six-party talks) is because of the United States` hostile policy (toward the North)," he said. "It seems that the North thinks the United States is the cause for recent delaying six-party talks."

With dimming prospects for the resumption of the six-party talks, which involve the United States, China, Russia, Japan and the two Koreas, following Pyongyang`s repeated threats to hold off the nuclear negotiations, the South has tried to lure the North back to the negotiating table, emphasizing the resolution of the nuclear crisis on the peninsula is the "most efficient" way for the Koreas to achieve peace and co-prosperity.

"We explained that we expect to start discussing the details on the provision of 2 million kilowatts of electricity (to the North)," Kim said. "We also stressed that we hope to discuss the full-scale talks on establishing peace in 2006 with the progress of six-party talks."

But Kim said it looks like the North "still misunderstands" that the South is economically pressing the country. The North has raised issues such as the removal of a law that bans South Korean tourists or delegates from visiting certain places in the North, such as the birthplace of the state`s late founder Kim Il-sung.

But Kim said it is unlikely that the South would have a response to that demand during the talks because it is a very sensitive issue that requires time.

Pyongyang also requested to end the joint South Korea-U.S. military drills.

Kim said discussions on the countries` bilateral issues also remained at an "initial" stage, but other officials said they are likely to reach an agreement on various issues, including exchanges between separated families and inter-Korean Red Cross meetings before the end of next February.

(aibang@heraldm.com)



2005.12.16