Foot-Dragging by the North May Spell Doom For Upcoming Inter-Korean Get-Togethers

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Foot-Dragging by the North May Spell Doom For Upcoming Inter-Korean Get-Togethers

Talks scheduled between the governments of North and South Korea for October may fall apart because of a dispute over where to hold the meetings.

Pyeongyang remained silent Wednesday on Seoul's proposal to hold the second round of talks on Mount Geumgang tourism, scheduled for Friday, at Mount Seorak. The North has asked to hold those talks, along with an economic cooperation meeting (Oct. 23-26) and the sixth ministerial talks (Oct. 28-31), at Mount Geumgang.

North Korean authorities unilaterally postponed the fourth reunion of separated families, which was to be held simultaneously in Seoul and Pyeongyang from Tuesday through Thursday. Pyeongyang also canceled a joint taekwondo demonstration scheduled to take place in Seoul next weekend, saying it was not safe to send civilians to a country that is on high security alert.

"Neither the economic cooperation committee meeting nor the talks on Mount Geumgang tourism seem to be of immediate importance to the North," said Bae Jong-ryeol, senior fellow at the Export-Import Bank of Korea. Mr. Bae added that Pyeongyang seems to be waiting to see how the U.S. war on terrorism plays out.

Seoul, which had promised to send 300,000 metric tons of rice aid to the North, is allegedly having Lim Dong-won, the special presidential advisor for foreign policy, national security and unification, contact officials in the North to bring Pyeongyang back to the bargaining table.

Inter-Korean relations, which appeared to be moving forward after ministerial talks in September, are back to square one, analysts in Seoul contended. They said it will be difficult to assuage hard liners in the North and get a dialogue started again.



by Lee Young-jong

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