Inter-Korean Ties Progress amid Negative Factors

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, December 31, 2002

Inter-Korean Ties Progress amid Negative Factors

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The inter-Korean working level meeting which ended on Dec. 16 at the Mount Geumgang in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) reaffirmed that the reconstruction of two sets of inter-Korean railways and roads will progress as schedule.

Thus, the dream of reconnection of the inter-Korean railways and roads, which have been separated since the Korean War (1950-1952), will come true in a near future. The citizens of the two countries eventually can cross the demilitarized zone (DMZ) by train or vehicle.

However, when US President George. W. Bush labeled the DPRK as "the axis of evil " along with Iraq and Iran in the State of the Union Address early this year, the situation of the Korean Peninsula faced gray and vague prospect.

The turning point of the inter-Korean ties was Lim Dong-won's ice-break trip to the DPRK in early April. Lim, South Korean President Kim Dae-jung's special aide for foreign affairs, national security and unification, met with the DPRK's top leader Kim Jung Il in his extended four-day visit.

The two sides finally released a fruitful joint statement on the restoration of the inter-Korean communications in all aspects,such as economic talks and reunions of separated families, which had been stalled since late 2001.

This trip suddenly blew off the dark clouds over the Korean Peninsula.

The inter-Korean ties have overcome negative factors and progress gradually but solidly this year, while various inter-Korean conferences have played important role in such progress.

The inter-Korean ministerial talks resumed in mid-August after half year interregnum, and it outlined the direction of the inter-Korean ties in the 2002.

In the joint statement released after the ministerial talks, reconnection of inter-Korean railways and roads, the inter-Korean economic promotion meeting, construction of Kaesong Industrial Complex in DPRK's city Kaesong, fifth reunions of separated families in September as well as other exchanges were all the high agenda.

Then the Second Inter-Korean Economic Promotion Meeting held in Seoul in late August set timetable for the construction of the twosets of inter-Korean railways and roads. The Gyeongui Railway (Seoul-Sinuiju) and its adjacent road would be finished at the end of this year and the spring of 2003 respectfully. While first phase of the Donghai railway and its adjacent road would be completed within a year span.

Then, before the mid-September ground-breaking ceremonies of the railways and roads, South Korea and the DPRK discussed relevant problems in various working level talks. Moreover, the two sides set up a military hotline for the de-mining in the DMZ, the first one since the Korean War (1950-1953).

Although the landmines removing work in the DMZ in respective part of the two sides was suspended for a time for some technical problems between the military of the DPRK and the US led-United Nations Command (UNC) in South Korea in November, the work finished earlier December.

South Korean media and governmental officials were exited about the transportation projects, thinking that it would beneficial to the inter-Korean economic ties and contribute to mutual confidenceon the Korean Peninsula. The construction work may be delayed due to some factors, but South Koreans believe the time is not far.

Contrast to the land transportation issue, inter-Korean direct air route and sea route have developed more smoothly. The two countries realized direct air route aviation in July, while the just ended inter-Korean maritime meeting on Dec. 26-28 agreed to open "internal direct sea route" between the two countries as early as possible.

The most fruitful and conspicuous bilateral exchange of South Korea and the DPRK is the latter's participation in the 14 Busan Asian Games hosted by South Korea. It was again the first time that the DPRK had attended international games held in the territory of the other part on the Korea Peninsula.

The South Korean people saw a 305-strong DPRK delegation and 280 supporters as well as the national flag of the DPRK in the 16-day games. And in the opening and closing ceremony, the two countries' athletes entered the stadium together under the Korean Peninsula flag.

The audience from South Korea and the DPRK's supporters cheeredfor both sides' athletes in competitions. The reunification of theKorean Peninsula was the popular topic at that time.

Red Cross Societies of South Korea and the DPRK have also achieved some goals in the year of 2002.

Besides two rounds-the fourth and the fifth round-of reunions for separated families of the two sides in April and September, the two societies have also held several working contacts to discuss construction of a permanent reunion center for the separated families.

Up to now, the separated families have met with folks who live in other part of the peninsula mostly in Geumgang Hotel at Mount Geumgang in the DPRK.

Although the latest two working level meetings of the Red Crossfailed to clinch a written agreement about the construction, they pointed the site for the building -- a small village named Jopo inOnjeongri at the foot of Mount Geumgang in the DPRK.

For the South Korean businessmen, the information of the first stage of Kaesong Industrial Complex, about 3.3 million square meters, would complete as early as the end of 2003 were exciting.

Especially, when the DPRK officially announced it decided to set up an industrial zone in Kaesong to allure foreign investment in the city just near the DMZ in late November, some of the South Korean investors thought high of the positive step.

The ground breaking work of the first stage of the Kaesong Industrial Complex was to be kicked off on Dec. 30, but delayed due to a frustrated inter-Korean military talks which ended on Dec.24.

Anyway, one can see the South Korean and the DPRK relations developing through bramble in the 2002. And the South Korean incumbent government rapprochement and reconciliation policy toward the DPRK has not been changed despite of some negative factors.

South Korean President Kim Dae-jung stressed for several times that the "Sunshine Policy" must be held on, while "hard line" policy will do no good for the peace and stability on the Korean Peninsular.

So, under such circumstance, even a skirmish broke between the navies of the two sides in late June in the Yellow Sea, which costpersonnel and vessels losses for both sides, did not stop the development of the inter-Korean ties.

The recent nuclear issue of the DPRK did not turn the scale of the development of the inter-Korean relations either.

The US-led international consortium Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) November's decision to halting offering heavy oil to the DPRK escalated the situation.

Subsequently, the DPRK announced that it decided to resume the operation and construction of its nuclear facilities to generate electricity on Nov. 12, which shocked the international community and aroused severe concerns among relevant countries.

Then the DPRK removed monitoring cameras from all its nuclear facilities and expelled the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors.

According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) of the DPRK,it resumed the frozen nuclear facility just to make up the huge power hole due to the heavy oil suspension, and it was the US government who violated the 1994 Agreed Framework.

The accord, signed by the US and the DPRK in 1994, stipulates that the DPRK freeze its nuclear program in return for the provision of 500,000 tons of heavy oil a year by US-led KEDO and for the help to build two sets of light waters reactors in the DPRK before 2003.

Although, the series actions touched the sensitive of the SouthKorean government, Kim Dae-jung still sought to settle such issue through dialogue with the United States and Japan as well as otherrelevant countries.

South Korean President-elect Roh Moo-hyun, who will take officeon Feb. 28, 2003, is the successor of Kim's "Sunshine Policy". He has underscored many times that tough or hawkish attitude toward the DPRK will harm the inter-Korean ties.

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