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DATE=3/5/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-227644
TITLE=N./S. KOREA TALKS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JOHN LARKIN
DATELINE=SEOUL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  SOUTH KOREA IS PROPOSING DIRECT TALKS WITH NORTH KOREA, 
IN A BID TO BREAK THE ICY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO ENEMY 
NEIGHBORS.  JOHN LARKIN REPORTS FROM SEOUL THAT THE INITIATIVE 
COMES ONLY ONE WEEK INTO THE NEW GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT KIM 
DAE-JUNG.
TEXT:  THE PUSH FOR INFORMAL TALKS FOLLOWS A CALL BY PRESIDENT 
KIM DAE-JUNG DURING HIS INAUGURATION SPEECH LAST WEEK FOR CLOSER 
RELATIONS BETWEEN DEMOCRATIC SOUTH KOREA AND COMMUNIST NORTH 
KOREA.
THE TWO COUNTRIES ARE SEPARATED BY A MILITARIZED BORDER, IN PLACE
SINCE THE KOREAN WAR ARMISTICE IN 1953.  THEIR CITIZENS ARE 
PROHIBITED FROM COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER.
A SPOKESMAN FOR SOUTH KOREA'S MINISTRY FOR REUNIFICATION, KIM 
YOUNG-MIN, CONFIRMED PLANS TO ASK PYONGYANG TO JOIN IN DIRECT 
TALKS IN GENEVA LATER THIS MONTH, WHILE EMPHASIZING THEY WOULD BE
INFORMAL -- THAT IS,  NOT  FOCUSING ON SPECIFIC ISSUES.
THE SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIAL SAYS DIRECT TALKS WITH NORTH KOREA 
WOULD COMPLEMENT THE FOUR-NATION PEACE NEGOTIATIONS TO BE HELD IN
GENEVA LATER THIS MONTH (BEGINNING ON MARCH 16TH), ALLOWING 
COVERAGE OF MORE LOCALIZED ISSUES SUCH AS A LEADERS' SUMMIT AND 
THE REUNION OF FAMILIES SEPARATED BY THE BORDER.
THE PRINCIPAL AIM OF THE FOUR-NATION TALKS, WHICH INCLUDE THE 
UNITED STATES AND CHINA, IS TO REPLACE THE KOREAN WAR ARMISTICE 
WITH A PROPER PEACE TREATY.
PRESIDENT KIM IS UNIQUELY PLACED TO ENHANCE DEALINGS WITH THE 
NORTH.  DURING HIS 30-YEARS AS A DISSIDENT OPPOSITION LEADER, HIS
POLITICAL OPPONENTS CRITICIZED HIM AS A SUPPORTER OF THE 
COMMUNISTS.
EVEN INFORMAL TALKS WOULD REPRESENT AN ADVANCE ON THE HOSTILITY 
THAT FOR YEARS HAS SOURED TIES BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA.
THE LAST SIGNIFICANT CONTACT BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORS WAS IN 1992, 
WHEN AN ACCORD WAS SIGNED AS A BASIS FOR BETTER RELATIONS. 
PROGRESS UNDER SOUTH KOREA'S FORMER PRESIDENT KIM YOUNG-SAM WAS 
SLOW, BECAUSE OF MUTUAL ANTIPATHY BETWEEN HIS GOVERNMENT AND 
LEADERS IN PYONGYANG.
NEB/JL/FC/WTW
05-Mar-98 5:56 AM EST (1056 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.