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DATE=2/4/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-245097
TITLE=KOREA TALKS (L-ONLY) -- CQ
BYLINE=JOHN LARKIN
DATELINE=SEOUL
CONTENT=
INTRO:  SOUTH KOREA ON THURSDAY CAUTIOUSLY  WELCOMED  A RARE 
PROPOSAL BY NORTH  KOREA FOR HIGH-LEVEL OFFICIAL TALKS. AS JOHN 
LARKIN REPORTS FROM SEOUL,  NORTH KOREA MADE THE OFFER WEDNESDAY 
IN A LETTER ADDRESSED TO 150 PROMINENT SOUTH KOREANS.
TEXT :  ONE OF THOSE PROMINENT FIGURES WAS SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT
KIM  DAE-JUNG .  IT WAS THE FIRST TIME FOR YEARS THAT PYONGYANG 
HAS MADE A DIRECT  PROPOSAL FOR DIALOGUE TO A SOUTH KOREAN 
PRESIDENT. 
SEOUL HAILED THE DEVELOPMENT AS PROOF ITS POLICY OF ENGAGING THE 
NORTH  IS BEARING FRUIT.  PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN PARK JIE-WON 
SAYS THE OFFER  SHOWS  PYONGYANG IS BECOMING MORE COOPERATIVE. 
UNIFICATION MINISTER  KANG IN-DUK URGED CAUTION DURING A MEETING 
OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY  COUNCIL'S STANDING COMMITTEE.
IN ITS REPLY, SEOUL'S UNIFICATION MINISTRY SAID PYONGYANG SHOULD 
MAKE  ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE MEETING.  BUT IT URGED THE HARDLINE 
COMMUNIST  GOVERNMENT TO DROP CONDITIONS IT ATTACHED TO THE 
PROPOSAL, WHICH INCLUDE  A DEMAND SOUTH KOREA SEVER MILITARY TIES
WITH THE UNITED STATES.
THOUGH PYONGYANG MADE THE TALKS CONDITIONAL ON THIS AND OTHER 
STANDARD DEMANDS, OFFICIALS  ARE NONETHELESS ENCOURAGED AS IT IS 
THE FIRST  OVERTURE BY PYONGYANG TO KIM-DAE-JUNG'S ONE-YEAR OLD 
GOVERNMENT.
THE LETTER CONTAINING THE PROPOSAL WAS DELIVERED THROUGH THE U-N 
TRUCE VILLAGE OF PANMUNJOM, AT THE HEAVILY-FORTIFIED BORDER 
DIVIDING THE TWO  KOREAS.
IT COINCIDED WITH A REPORT BY PYONGYANG'S OFFICIAL KOREAN CENTRAL
NEWS  AGENCY, WHICH QUOTED WORKER'S PARTY SECRETARY KIM YONG-SUN 
PROPOSING WIDE-RANGING DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENTS IN THE 
SECOND HALF OF THIS  YEAR.
MR. KIM URGED SOUTH KOREA TO ACCEPT THE INVITATION, TO HELP 
PREVENT ANOTHER  CONFLICT ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA , WHICH WAS 
DESCRIBED AS "IMMINENT".  THE NEWS AGENCY REPORT ADDED THE 
MEETING WOULD ALSO SPEED REUNIFICATION OF THE TWO KOREAS.
PYONGYANG ALSO OFFERED TO DISCUSS THE EMOTIONAL ISSUE OF 
REUNITING  FAMILIES DIVIDED BY THE KOREAN WAR WHICH ENDED IN 
1953.  (SIGNED)
NEB/JL/FC/PLM/GE
04-Feb-99 11:45 AM EST (1645 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.