Koreas Fail to Agree on Size of Reunion Center
2003-02-17
South and North Korea failed to make progress on the construction plan for the center for separated families during working level talks at Mt. Geumgang over the weekend.
The first meeting ended without significant progress due mainly to differences in opinion over the size of the facility, officials said.
The two sides agreed to hold another next round of meetings March 3-5 at the same place.
In the meeting, the southern delegates demanded the size be determined after establishing basic plans for the related facilities, while their northern counterparts insisted the issue of building's size be discussed first.
The South has proposed a facility of 75,900 square meters but the North is pressing for a far larger center covering up to 736,000 square meters.
The two sides agreed late last month to begin construction of the center in the scenic mountain area in April to facilitate reunions for family members separated by the 1950-1953 Korean War.
Source : www.korea.net
