5 or 6 Agreements Expected As Korean Talks Near Close

South and North Korean delegates engaged in last-minute fine-tuning Monday in hopes of crowning their renewed contacts with agreement on five or six issues.

The sides agreed on resuming Red Cross talks for the resolution of separated families; the early construction of the inter-Korean Kyongui railroad line; the revival of tourism at Mount Kumgang, and measures to contain flood damages at Imjin River.

The delegations are also said to have agreed to hold another round of talks in Pyongyang in the near future and to hold ministerial-level talks regularly.

"Consultations are ongoing," said Rhee Bong-jo, assistant minister of unification, "but agreements on certain issues such as separated families are likely to be forged."

Mr. Rhee refrained from commenting on whether progress had been made with regard to the provision by South Korea of electricity to the North.

The South Korean delegation is also said to have proposed to the North the adoption of an anti-terrorism statement by President Kim Dae-jung and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-il. The Northern delegation reportedly has delivered the proposal to Pyongyang and is waiting for its directive, Mr. Rhee said.

Three North Korean delegates, including Kim Ryong-song, the chief delegate, made an unscheduled visit to the Blue House Monday afternoon at President Kim's invitation. Mr. Kim is said to have pleaded to the North Korean delegates to make all efforts to achieve concrete results.

A joint press release with the agreements will be issued Tuesday morning. Expected in the release are a timeline for putting into effect the joint regulations on the Demilitarized Zone agreed upon in February and the specific dates for the designation of Mount Kumgang as a special tourism zone, analysts said.

On the issue of separated families, experts said, the dates for the establishment of permanent meeting places and the exchange of families are also expected to be included in the press release.

In Pyongyang, the Workers' Party newspaper, Rodong Shinmun on Monday said, "If the United States does not maneuver an invasive war and military threat toward us, by deploying its many nuclear weapons and missiles in South Korea and around it, we would not intentionally make missiles."

by Lee Yong-jong