| Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, November 14, 2001 |
Round-Up: 6th Inter-Korean Ministerial Talks Fruitless |
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The sixth inter-Korean ministerial talks ended resultless Wednesday morning as the two sides failed to iron out their difference on the South Korea's heightened military alert following the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.
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The sixth inter-Korean ministerial talks ended resultless Wednesday morning as the two sides failed to iron out their difference on the South Korea's heightened military alert following the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.
The talks began last Friday at the Mount Kumgang in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to discuss the reunion of divided families and meetings of the inter-Korean economic cooperation committee, among others.
It will take some time for Pyongyang to understand Seoul's stated position that the military alert is a peace-keeping measure, not targeting the DPRK, South Korean Unification Minister Hong Soon-young said Wednesday after returning from the six-day meeting.
At the meeting, the DPRK stressed that South Korea's heightened alarm is directed against the DPRK and there are not potential terrorists as Seoul described, insisting Seoul must first abolish its so called anti-terrorism military alert.
The meeting's failure has caused strong reactions in South Korea.
Ruling Millenium Democratic Party (MDP) expressed deep regret over fruitless talks while the opposition Grand National Party ( GNP) demanded the government review its policy toward the DPRK.
MDP spokesman Lee Nak-yeon said the meeting's breakdown was triggered by the DPRK refusal to allow an inter-Korean economic cooperation committee meeting to be held in Seoul.
"The North should recognize that it is a custom for the two Koreas to alternate venues for inter-Korean meetings," Lee said, urging the DPRK to quickly implement the next reunion of separated family members.
GNP spokesman Chang Kwang-keun said the meeting ended in a stalemate as it is a direct result of "unprincipled" President Kim Dae-jung's Sunshine Policy toward the DPRK.
"We cannot but express anger at the North taking political advantage of even the humanitarian reunion of separated family members," he said, calling for an early reunion for separated families at a certain permanent facility and exchange letters freely.
Meanwhile, the DPRK said the talks failed to bear fruit as the South Korean authorities are pursuing a confrontational policy in its relation with the DPRK, accusing South Korea of deserting the fundamental spirit of the June 2000 Inter-Korean Joint Declaration. "
"The whole blame lies with the South, whose stubborn and improper attitude jeopardizes the implementation of previous agreements," the DPRK Central Broadcasting Station said.
The resumption of inter-Korean ministerial dialogues after two months of stalemate broke down Wednesday without even setting a date for the next round of talks.
There are mounting concerns that inter-Korean talks for reconciliation and exchanges will not progress for a considerable time unless the two sides make a dramatic breakthrough in near future.
However, Unification Minister Hong, who headed the South Korean delegation to the ministerial talks, said the sixth talks ended without results but no rupture.
The minister added that inter-Korean dialogues will continue as the sixth ministerial talks served well to narrow the two sides' difference over South Korea's anti-terrorism military alert.
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