Inter-Korean Ministerial Talks Kicked off
2003-04-28
PYONGYANG - South Korea urged North Korea to give up its nuclear development program during the 10th round of inter-Korean ministerial talks which kicked off in this North Korean capital city on Sunday (April 27).
The South Korean delegation, led by Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun, also called on the North to clarify if it actually has nuclear weapons as it told the U.S. delegation to the tripartite talks in Beijing that ended last Friday.
"If the revelation is true, it would be a violation of the joint declaration for denuclearization on the Korean peninsula and various other international nuclear agreements," Jeong said during the meeting, the first of its kind since President Roh Moo-hyun took office Feb.25.
The North Korean delegation, headed by Kim Ryong-song, a senior Cabinet counselor, declined to comment, alleging the nuclear issue should be dealt between the North and the United States.
Kim cited the need to focus on such inter-Korean issues as economic exchanges and cooperation projects covering the Mt. Geumgang tour program and construction of industrial complex in Gaeseong, for instance.
Pyongyang also called on Seoul to extend economic and food assistance from a humanitarian perspective.
The first plenary session began in a tense atmosphere as it came a couple of days after North Korea confessed it has nuclear weapons to the U.S. side on the sidelines of the trilateral meeting in Beijing, inviting furious repercussion from Seoul and Washington.
Before embarking on the Pyongyang visit, Jeong told reporters in Seoul he would ask North Korea to change its attitude toward the nuclear issue.
"But it is certain that North Korea has a strong willingness toward dialogue with South Korea as it decided to press for the current inter-Korean talks despite the emergency situation due to spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome," he said.
The five-member South Korea delegation engaged in talks with their North Korean counterparts from 3 p.m. at Pyongyang's Koryo Hotel and attended a banquet offered by the North after landing at Pyongyang's Sunan Airport at earlier in the day.
Pyongyang's state-run Korean Central News Agency reported the arrival of the South Korean delegation for the ministerial talks, which end on Tuesday.
Source : www.korea.net
