DPRK Postpones Exchange of Visiting Group of Separated Families with South KoreaThe Democratic People's Republic of Korean (DPRK) and South Korea has decided to postpone the exchange of 4th visiting group of separated families and relatives and the dispatch of DPRK's taekwon-do team to Seoul.A spokesman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland made the remarks Friday in a statement as regards the fact that South Korean army and police have been put on " emergency alert" under the pretext of what is happening in Afghanistan, thus creating an unpredictable atmosphere of tension. He said that a "perfect security posture" is being called for at a "national security council meeting" or "emergency state council meeting," and the military authorities are "discussing measures against the movement of the Korean People's army" and urging their army to be fully ready to go into action. This is a dangerous act of going against the spirit of the June 15 North-South joint declaration, which calls for pooling efforts of the nation and getting on the nerves of the DPRK, a dialogue partner, said the spokesman. In such tense atmosphere of alertness, smooth dialogue and travel can not be expected nor can there by any guarantee that an accidental event would not take place, he added. Taking into consideration the situation prevailing in South Korea, the DPRK cannot but postpone the planned exchange of visiting group of separated families and relatives and dispatch of taekwon-do team to Seoul for the time being. The visit was originally scheduled for October 16-18. But the DPRK will hold as scheduled the 6th North-South ministerial talks, the 2nd meeting of the North-South Committee for the Promotion of Economic Cooperation and the 2nd North-South authorities' talks to pep up Mount Kumgang tourism slated for October, he said. "We consider it reasonable to hold them in Mount Kumgang area which we had already proposed and where security is guaranteed. At the same time, we hope that the emergency alert will be lifted and a favorable atmosphere created soon in South Korea so as to exchange the visiting groups of separated families and relatives and taekwon-do exhibition teams at an early date," said the spokesman. |
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