Talks on Reunion Center Construction to Begin
2003-02-13
South and North Korea are to begin three days of working-level talks today(Feb. 13) to settle details of a reunion center for families separated during the 1950-1953 Korean War.
Meeting at the North's Mt. Geumgang, the two sides will decide on the size of the center -- an issue they failed to resolve differences on at the last Red Cross talks despite reaching agreement to start construction by late April in Mt. Geumgang.
Seoul also hopes to persuade Pyongyang to grant the use of newly-opened cross-border road leading to Mt. Geumgang for elderly South Koreans who will participate in the sixth family reunions, which will be held there from Feb. 20-25.
South Korean officials in Seoul said there is still even chance that the North will open the highway for the family members for the trip, a move which would ease the burden of lengthy travel via ship.
Finding a compromise on the size of the reunion center, where a steady stream of family members will be able to reunite, will not be easy, they said. At the last Red Cross meeting on Jan. 20-22, the two sides could only agree on a facility accommodating up to 1,000 people at once.
North Korea asked for a huge building with total floor space of 70,000 square meters, whereas the South, which agreed to provide the raw materials, said 7,500 square meters would be enough.
The 15-member South Korean delegation will be led by Min Byung-dae of the Korea National Red Cross, and will also include officials at the Unification Ministry and Public Procurement Service.
Source : www.korea.net
