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Inter-Korean Military Meeting Expected to Delay
The second inter-Korean defense ministers' meeting is expected to delay as the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) dispute over the jurisdiction of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) where the inter-Korean railway and highway are to be reconnected.
Delegates from the United States Forces Korea (USFK) and the DPRK People' Army Tuesday met at the truce village of Panmunjom to discuss the issue but failed to break the deadlock, said military sources.
At the meeting, the USFK reportedly proposed transfer of its administrative authority over the southern district of the DMZ to South Korea troops while the DPRK People's Army suggested that the USFK's jurisdiction over the region be handed over to South Korea troops completely.
The dispute began on October 14 this year when the USFK sent a letter to the DPRK army, saying that it will relegate its negotiating power over the DMZ to South Korea.
In a reply on October 18, the DPRK army suggested that the USFK's jurisdiction, after the completion of the relinking program, be transferred to South Korea.
However, the USFK responded on November 6 that its legal jurisdiction will remain intact and it will only transfer its management and operational control to South Korea.
The USFK said it could not give up its jurisdiction over the DMZ because it will destroy the armistice structure on the Korean peninsula which was established at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.
Up to date, the agreed schedule for the second inter-Korean defense ministers' meeting has not been determined due to the dispute, said the sources.
At their meeting in Cheju Island of South Korea on September 25-26, South Korean Defense Minister Cho Seong-tae and his DPRK counterpart Kim Il Chol agreed to hold their second meeting in Pyongyang in November.
The dispute also could influence the reconnection program under way as Seoul and Pyongyang have failed to discuss further issues of reconstructing the railway and highway, which agreed by President Kim Dae-jung and DPRK leader Kim Jong Il at the historic inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang on June 13-15 this year.
South Korea wanted to separate the issue of the railway project from the defense ministers' meeting.
Cho has written to his DPRK counterpart Kim Il Chol, calling for the second meeting to be held at the earliest possible date.
But there has been no response from Kim Il Chol.
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