S.Korea, DPRK Pledge to Seek Peaceful Solution of Nuclear Issue

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, April 30, 2003

S.Korea, DPRK Pledge to Seek Peaceful Solution of Nuclear Issue

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South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) pledged Wednesday to seek a peaceful solution of the DPRK's nuclear weapons program, accordingto a joint statement released by an inter-Korean meeting.

The 10th Inter-Korean Ministerial Meeting concluded in Pyongyang in the early hour of Wednesday with a six-point statement, reported South Korean national news agency Yonhap News.

"South Korea and the DPRK will discuss each other's position earnestly over the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula and continue to cooperate in resolving the nuclear standoff peacefullythrough a dialogue," the joint statement said.

The two countries also vowed to implement the spirit of the agreements on inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation signed at the 2000 summit between then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and DPRK top leader Kim Jong Il.

To commemorate the third anniversary of the 2000 summit, the two sides agreed to hold a unification festival around June 15 andto start building a reunion permanent center at an earlier date inMount Geumgang for reunions of family members separated during the1950-1953 Korean War, according to the statement.

Moreover the participation of a DPRK delegation and support group in the 2003 Summer Universiade, to be held in South Korean city of Daegu in August, will be further discussed in future, saidthe statement.

The two sides agreed to press ahead with inter-Korean economic projects, including reconnecting of inter-Korean railways and roads, construction of an industrial complex in the DPRK city of Kaesong located just in the north of the truce village of Panmunjeom and the tourist project involving the DPRK's Mount Geumgang.

Seoul and Pyongyang also agreed to hold the fifth round of the inter-Korean economic cooperation committee meetings on May 19-22 in Pyongyang to discuss inter-Korean reconciliation and economic cooperation projects. And next round of inter-Korean ministerial talks will be held on July 9-12 in Seoul.

The inter-Korean cabinet-level meeting was prolonged by one dayfrom original schedule as the two delegations headed by South Korean Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun and DPRK Cabinet Chief Councilor Kim Ryong Song, respectively, wrangled over wordings of the joint statement.

South Korean delegation arrived Pyongyang on Sunday morning andreturned to home aboard a charter plane via inter-Korean direct route earlier Wednesday.

During the talks, South Korean chief delegate Jeong Se-hyun urged the DPRK to scrap its alleged nuclear weapons program and tohonor the South-North joint declaration on denuclearization of theKorean Peninsula singed in 1992.

The DPRK team head Kim Ryong Song responded that the nuclear dispute is the matter between Pyongyang and Washington, but addingthe DPRK's stance is the nuclear issue should be resolved peacefully through dialogue.

The 10th Inter-Korean Ministerial Meeting is the first high-level contact between the two sides since South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun took office Feb. 25.

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