DATE=7/1/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251308
TITLE=KOREA TALKS (L)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA HAVE HELD ANOTHER ROUND OF THEIR
ON-AGAIN, OFF-AGAIN TALKS IN BEIJING, BUT SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS
SAY THE MEETING BROKE DOWN WHEN NORTH KOREA REFUSED TO DISCUSS
THE ISSUE OF REUNITING FAMILIES DIVIDED BY THE KOREAN WAR.
CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON REPORTS THE FATE OF THE FIRST
OFFICIAL TALKS BETWEEN THE TWO KOREAS IN 14-MONTHS IS UNCERTAIN,
BUT BOTH SIDES AGREED THEY WILL REMAIN IN CONTACT BY TELEPHONE.
TEXT: AFTER A 75-MINUTE MEETING AND A BRIEF ONE-ON-ONE
DISCUSSION WITH HIS NORTH KOREAN COUNTERPART, PAK YONG-SU, SOUTH
KOREAN CHIEF DELEGATE YANG YOUNG-SHIK WAS VISIBLY FRUSTRATED AT
THE NORTH'S REFUSAL TO DISCUSS THE ISSUE THAT TOPS SEOUL'S
AGENDA.
MR. YANG COMPLAINED PYONGYANG AGREED LAST MONTH IN SECRET TALKS
TO DISCUSS RE-UNITING FAMILY MEMBERS IN EXCHANGE FOR SEOUL'S
COMMITMENT TO DELIVER 200-THOUSAND TONS OF FERTILIZER TO THE
FAMINE-STRICKEN NORTH BY THE END OF JULY. HALF OF THE FERTILIZER
HAS BEEN SENT TO THE NORTH, BUT SOUTH KOREA HAS BALKED AT SENDING
THE REMAINDER UNTIL THE BEIJING TALKS MAKE PROGRESS ON REUNITING
FAMILIES.
SOUTH KOREA TABLED A DETAILED PROPOSAL AT THURSDAY'S MEETING THAT
WOULD BRING ABOUT 100 SEPARATED FAMILY MEMBERS TOGETHER ONCE OR
TWICE A MONTH AT THE PANMUNJON BORDER CROSSING STARTING IN
SEPTEMBER. UNDER THE PLAN, THE TWO SIDES WOULD LOCATE AND THEN
EXCHANGE LISTS OF SEPARATED FAMILY MEMBERS AND ALLOW THEM TO
CORRESPOND WITH ONE ANOTHER BEFORE SETTING UP THE REUNIONS.
MR. YANG ALSO PROPOSED THAT THE TWO SIDES SET UP A MECHANISM TO
GUARANTEE THE SAFETY OF TRAVELERS BETWEEN THE TWO KOREAS. THAT
PROPOSAL STEMS FROM THE SIX-DAY DETENTION LAST WEEK IN THE NORTH
OF A SOUTH KOREAN TOURIST WHO PYONGYANG ACCUSED OF TRYING TO
ENTICE HER GUIDE INTO DEFECTING. BUT MR. YANG SAYS THE NORTH
DISMISSED THE IDEA.
THE SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIAL SAYS AFTER THE TALKS BROKE UP MR. PAK
ASKED FOR A PRIVATE MEETING WITH HIM. HE SAYS HIS NORTH KOREAN
COUNTERPART THEN READ A PREPARED STATEMENT ACCUSING SEOUL OF
ALLOWING A NORTH KOREAN DEFECTOR TO CRITICIZE NORTH KOREAN LEADER
KIM JONG-IL IN A SOUTH KOREAN MAGAZINE INTERVIEW. MR. YANG SAYS
MR. PAK THEN WALKED OUT.
/// YANG ACTUALITY (IN KOREAN) ESTABLISH AND FADE ///
MR. YANG SAYS IT IS DISAPPOINTING AND REGRETTABLE THE NORTH
KOREANS KEEP AVOIDING THE DISCUSSION OF REUNIFYING FAMILIES BY
BRINGING UP SUCH ISSUES AS THE MAGAZINE INTERVIEW OR LAST MONTH'S
NAVAL CLASH IN THE YELLOW SEA. HE SAYS NORTH KOREA MUST LIVE UP
TO ITS COMMITMENT TO TALK ABOUT THE FAMILY ISSUE INSTEAD OF
WASTING TIME.
THE (THURSDAY'S) SESSION WAS THE THIRD TIME NORTH AND SOUTH
KOREAN NEGOTIATORS MET SINCE THEY RESUMED TALKS IN BEIJING
10-DAYS AGO. (SIGNED)
NEB/RW/RAE
01-Jul-99 8:29 AM EDT (1229 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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