Koreas hold rare high-level talks
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North and South Korean officials sat down to their highest level talks for years yesterday, seeking an upswing in ties despite a bitter row over looming South Korea-US military exercises.
The discussions in the border truce village of Panmunjom had no fixed agenda, but aimed to cover a range of “major” issues, including a planned February 20-25 reunion for family members divided by the Korean War.
The South Korean delegation was led by top National Security Council official Kim Kyou-Hyun, who said Seoul’s focus was on ensuring that the reunion went ahead as scheduled.
North Korea is likely to make another push for South Korea to cancel its annual military drills with the US, which are slated to start on February 24.
Kim said he was entering the talks with “an open attitude to explore the chance of opening a new chapter on the Korean peninsula.” He did not mention whether North Korea’s nuclear program would be discussed.
It was the first high-level sit-down between the two sides since 2007, and came a day before US Secretary of State John Kerry’s arrival in Seoul for a visit focused on North Korea.
North Korea wants to resume talks with Seoul and Washington on nuclear matters, but both have insisted that Pyongyang must first make a tangible commitment to abandoning nuclear weapons.
The Panmunjom meet was requested by Pyongyang and made headlines in South Korea, but barely merited a mention in North Korea’s state media.
The morning session lasted 90 minutes, with the two sides reconvening after lunch.
Kim Yong-Hyun, an expert on North Korea, said Pyongyang is keen to make a public display of its diplomatic credentials.
“It wants to demonstrate a willingness to improve ties with South Korea,” Kim said.
North Korea is also likely to push for a resumption of South Korea tours to its Mount Kumgang resort, which South Korea suspended after a tourist was shot and killed by North Korean soldiers in 2008.
The success of the upcoming family reunion event would be key to Seoul considering starting up the tours again.
“If the first step goes well, it can move to the next level, expanding the scope of inter-Korean cooperation,” South Korea’s Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-Jae said on Tuesday.
There are fears North Korea may cancel the reunion in protest at the military exercises between South Korea and the US. Pyongyang views them as rehearsals for invasion.
Seoul and Washington have made it clear that this year’s drills will not be canceled, but US officials have indicated they may be toned down.
South Korean President Park Geun-Hye had promised greater engagement with Pyongyang and held out the possibility of a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
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