DATE=7/2/99 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-251348 TITLE=KOREA TALKS (L) BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON DATELINE=BEIJING CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: SOUTH KOREA HAS SUSPENDED ITS TALKS WITH NORTH KOREA IN BEIJING AND ACCUSED THE NORTH OF REFUSING TO DISCUSS THE KEY ISSUE OF REUNITING FAMILIES DIVIDED BY THE KOREAN WAR. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON REPORTS SOUTH KOREA'S CHIEF DELEGATE SAYS HIS COUNTRY WILL SUSPEND DELIVERIES OF FERTILIZER TO NORTH KOREA UNTIL IT IS READY TO NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH. TEXT: SOUTH KOREAN CHIEF NEGOTIATOR YANG YOUNG-SHIK SAYS HIS DELEGATION HAS DECIDED TO RETURN TO SEOUL BECAUSE THE NORTH KOREANS SHOW NO DESIRE TO TALK SERIOUSLY. HE SAYS THAT, WHEN THE TALKS BROKE DOWN ON THURSDAY AFTER NORTH KOREA REFUSED TO DISCUSS THE SEPARATED FAMILIES ISSUE, NORTHERN DELEGATES PROMISED TO CONTACT THEIR SOUTHERN COUNTERPARTS BY TELEPHONE TO SET UP A NEW MEETING. BUT THEY DID NOT. SO THE SOUTH KOREANS CALLED THE NORTH KOREANS FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND TOLD THEM THEY WERE GOING HOME. MR. YANG SAYS NORTH KOREA SIDELINED THE FIRST HIGH-LEVEL TALKS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES IN 14 MONTHS BY REPEATEDLY DEMANDING AN APOLOGY FOR THE SOUTH'S SINKING OF A NORTH KOREAN GUNBOAT DURING A NAVAL CLASH LAST MONTH IN THE YELLOW SEA. // OPT // AND ON THURSDAY, HE SAID, THE NORTH ACCUSED THE SOUTH OF ALLOWING A NORTH KOREAN DEFECTOR TO CRITICIZE NORTH KOREAN LEADER KIM JONG-IL IN A SOUTH KOREAN MAGAZINE INTERVIEW. // END OPT // THE SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIAL SAYS THE NORTH TOLD HIM IT WOULD ONLY DISCUSS THE DIVIDED FAMILIES ISSUE WHEN SEOUL DELIVERED THE 200-THOUSAND TONS OF FERTILIZER IT PROMISED THE NORTH BY THE END OF JULY. HALF OF THAT AMOUNT HAS ALREADY BEEN DELIVERED, BUT THE SOUTH IS HOLDING FIRM ON SHIPPING THE REST UNTIL THE NORTH DISCUSSES THE FAMILY REUNION ISSUE IN EARNEST. REUNITING FAMILIES SEPARATED BY THE KOREAN WAR IS THE TOP ISSUE ON SEOUL'S AGENDA. PRESIDENT KIM DAE-JUNG'S SO-CALLED SUNSHINE POLICY OF ENGAGING NORTH KOREA IS UNDER FIRE AT HOME FOR FAILING TO PRODUCE CONCRETE RESULTS. MR. KIM'S CRITICS SAY THE ONLY THING IT (HIS POLICY) HAS BROUGHT IS A MORE BELLIGERENT ATTITUDE ON THE PART OF PYONGYANG. THEY CITE THE NAVAL CLASH IN DISPUTED WATERS AND THE DETENTION OF A SOUTH KOREAN TOURIST WHOM THE NORTH ACCUSED OF ENTICING HER GUIDE TO DEFECT TO THE SOUTH. A MEETING BETWEEN NORTH KOREAN GENERALS AND THEIR COUNTERPARTS FROM THE UNITED NATIONS COMMAND AT THE TRUCE VILLAGE OF PANMUNJOM BROKE DOWN FRIDAY. THE NORTH KOREANS ACCUSED SOUTH KOREA OF CONTINUOUSLY VIOLATING ITS TERRITORIAL WATERS IN THE YELLOW SEA. THE NORTH KOREAN NEWS AGENCY QUOTED ITS CHIEF DELEGATE --GENERAL RI CHAN-BOK-- AS SAYING MORE BLOOD WILL FLOW UNLESS THE SOUTH KOREAN NAVY STOPS SUCH INTRUSIONS. THE U-N COMMAND DENIED NORTH KOREA'S CHARGES AND URGED THE NORTH NOT TO SEND ITS NAVY INTO THE CONTESTED AREA. (SIGNED) NEB/RW/JO 02-Jul-99 6:07 AM EDT (1007 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
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