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First Round of Inter-Korean Premier Talks Closes

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)

   Seoul, November 16 (KCNA Correspondent) -- The first round of the inter-Korean premier talks closed on Friday.
    At the talks both sides had an exhaustive discussion on practical issues arising in invariably upholding and honoring the June 15 joint declaration and fully implementing the October 4 declaration and adopted an agreement on the talks and annexed agreements.
    The agreements were inked by Premier of the DPRK Cabinet Kim Yong Il and Prime Minister of the south Han Tok Su.
    According to the agreement, the north and the south agreed to definitely turn the inter-Korean relations into those of mutual respect and trust in the spirit of "By our nation itself" and take steps to develop them for the purpose of reunification.
    To this end, both sides agreed to take measures necessary for marking June 15 as a day common to the nation and hold celebrations of the 8th anniversary of the June 15 joint declaration in Seoul next year with an attendance of authorities and people.
    They also agreed to discuss such matters as readjusting their legal and institutional mechanisms and revitalize dialogues and contacts in different fields including their parliaments.
    They agreed to set up "a West Sea special area for peace and cooperation" to meet the purpose of peace and common interests in the West Sea. As a necessary measure, they adopted an agreement on the formation and operation of "a committee for the promotion of the West Sea special area for peace and cooperation" to be co-chaired by officials at ministerial level. They agreed to hold the first meeting of the committee in Kaesong within December.
    The north and the south agreed to positively push forward economic cooperation for the balanced development of the national economy and common prosperity.
    To this end, both sides agreed to cooperate with each other in various fields including roads and railways, zones for cooperation in shipbuilding and the Kaesong Industrial Zone and form the North-South Joint Committee for Economic Cooperation to be co-chaired by officials at vice-premier level for the smooth progress of those projects. A relevant agreement was adopted and it was agreed to have its first meeting in Seoul from Dec. 4 to 6.
    The north and the south also agreed to inaugurate the North-South Committee for the Promotion of Social and Cultural Cooperation with a view to promoting exchange and cooperation in history, language, education, culture, arts and other social and cultural fields and positively push forward cooperation projects in the humanitarian field from the stand of promoting national reconciliation and unity.
    The north and the south agreed to hold the inter-Korean premier talks once in six months and the next round of the talks within the first half of 2008 in Pyongyang.