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More Family Reunions to Take Place in Korea This Year
North and South sides of Korea agreed August 30 to hold exchanges of separated families at least two more times before the end of the year. Both sides also agreed to exchange a group of about 100 tourists from each side to visit Mount Baekdu in the North and Mount Halla in the South.
Park Jae-kyu, the head of the southern delegation, and Jon Kum-jin, his northern counterpart, held a series of ministerial meetings in Pyongyang and agreed on those points.
The two sides also agreed in principle to institutionalize North-South economic cooperation by safeguarding the South's investments in the North and preventing double taxation.
They also agreed to meet next month to discuss in detail the planned restoration of the Seoul-Shinuiju railroad.
As for the exchange of tourists, the South accepted the North's proposal that the southern group visit Mount Baekdu in early September and the northern group visit Mt.Halla in late September. The groups will travel by airplane and will stay for seven days. The expenses will be covered by the host government.
However, there was virtually no progress on the issues that South Korea regards as vital, such as reducing military tensions on the Korean Peninsula. Other thorny issues include the establishment of a military hotline, a meeting of the defense ministers, and the repatriation of South Korean POWs and abductees.
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