North Korean Defense Delegation Visits Chong Wa Dae

President Kim Dae-jung Tuesday met with the five-member North Korean defense delegation who paid a courtesy call at Chong Wa Dae, following two days of inter-Korean defense ministerial talks on the southern resort island of Cheju.
Meeting the northern delegation led by Kim Il-chol, minister of North Korea's People's Armed Forces, President Kim congratulated them on coming out with an agreement to join efforts on the military aspects of reconnecting the inter-Korean Kyongui rail line.
At the same time, the president asked for their support for the South-North Joint Declaration.
"I ask the South and the North militaries to fully support the South-North Joint Declaration," the president said. President Kim and North Korean Leader, Kim Jong-il signed the declaration at the historic June 15 summit in Pyongyang.
The northern delegation's visit to Chong Wa Dae was the first in nine years by North Korean military officials. In 1991, the late North Korean Premier Yon Hyong-muk led a delegation that included military officials to the presidential office during high-level government talks.
Clad in the brown uniform of the North Korean armed forces, the northern delegation saluted the southern commander-in-cheif. According to presidential spokesman Park Joon-young, the symbolism of the gesture was not lost on observers as the task of founding peace between the two Koreas, still technically at war, looms dauntingly.
According to Park, the salute "affirmed the mood of reconciliation and detente between the two Koreas."
President Kim is sees it as good sign that the North has come into talks on defense matters with the South, presidential aides said. The military is highly influential in the North Korean government, and the president is well aware that their support is critical for making smooth progress in inter-Korean exchanges and cooperation.
President Kim, who has vowed to establish a peace system before he leaves office in 2003, will pursue dialogue with the North mainly in three sectors; tension reduction, and economic and socio-cultural exchanges, presidential aides said. But aides expect the dialogue on tension reduction and other comprehensive confidence building measures to set the tone in the future course of inter-Korean developments.
"The South and North militaries are vowing to work together to reduce the threat of war," Park said.
The delegation left for North Korea Tuesday,winding up a three-day visit.

by Kim Jin-kook