Koreas Agree to Peacefully Resolve Nuke Row
2003-04-30
South and North Korea agreed to work toward a peaceful resolution of the nuclear crisis based on dialogue at the 10th ministerial talks, which ended early Wednesday (April 30).
However, later in the day, Pyongyang threatened in a Foreign Ministry statement it will not rule out military action if Washington proceeds with the plan to impose additional sanctions against it.
Extending the meeting in the North Korean capital by one day, negotiators of the Koreas issued a six-point joint statement, arriving at a half-solution for the nuclear issue by leaving open the possibility of South Korea taking part in future multilateral dialogue, alongside the United States, in the joint statement.
"South and North Korea will thoroughly consult each other's position on the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula and will continue cooperation to resolve the issue peacefully through dialogue," it said.
Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun, Seoul's chief delegate to the talks, explained Pyongyang showed a possible change of stance from its opposition to Seoul's participation in multilateral dialogue on the nukes.
"As the ongoing (trilateral) dialogue proceeds considerably, the issue of (South Korea's inclusion) will naturally be solved," Jeong said when questioned by reporters about the possibility, after flying back from the North Korean capital in the morning.
North Korea "did not object strongly" to a South Korean request to participate, the minister said, although it has so far insisted the matter is basically between Pyongyang and Washington.
Despite Jeong's interpretation, the government cannot escape criticism that it made little progress on the nuclear issue at the talks, which came days after the North's alleged admission of its possession of nuclear weapons during talks between the U.S., China and the North last week.
Seoul's insistence on inserting a clause in the joint statement stipulating respect for the 1992 denuclearization declaration by the Koreas was not accepted by Pyongyang. The wording of the joint statement on the nukes ended up looking similar to those of the 8th and 9th ministerial talks.
In contrast to the disappointing results on the nuclear issue, Seoul and Pyongyang made inroads on the economic and cooperation fronts by scheduling an additional round of family reunions in Mt. Geumgang, North Korea, around June 15 and the next round of Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Promotion Committee meeting May 19-22 in Pyongyang.
North Korea also agreed to positively consider sending athletes and a cheering squad to the Daegu Summer Universiade Aug. 21-31, and also offered to assist South Korea's bid for the 2010 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, Gangwon Province.
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The following is a gist of the agreement from the 10th Inter-Korean Ministerial Talks:
1.Continued implementation of the June 15 South-North Joint Accord;
2.Discussion on the nuclear issue in the future for a peaceful, dialogue-based resolution;
3.Joint ceremony feting 3rd Anniversary of June 15;
4.North Korea to positively consider participating in 22nd Summer Universiade in Daegu, from Aug. 21-31;
5.5th Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Promotion Committee meeting from May 19-22 in Pyeongyang;
6.7th reunion of separated families of the two Koreas around June 15 at Mt. Geumgang;
7.11th Inter-Korean ministerial talks from July 9-12 in Seoul.
Source : www.korea.net
