The failure of talks between South and North Korea which were aimed at easing cross-border tensions between the two sides didn’t come as a surprise. Two days of high level talks broke up yesterday, and sadly, no date was set for further discussions. The fact that the talks took place can itself be considered an achievement because the vice-minister-level meeting, with a mandate to address a broad but unspecified range of inter-Korean issues, were the first of their type for nearly two years. But such is the depth of animosity and mistrust between the two neighbours that any breakthrough is possible only if both sides are willing to climb down from their positions. North Korea especially seems to be averse to any negotiated settlement. The communist country revels in jingoism and threats, and its military leaders have an interest in keeping the tensions on the borders alive.
According to the chief delegate of South Korea , Hwang Boo-Gi, the North Korean intransigence over what issues could be discussed contributed to the failure of the talks in the jointly-run Kaesong industrial zone. Seoul had proposed the continuation of the talks next week, but Pyongyang rejected that proposal too.
While no major breakthrough was expected, there was a hope that the talks could lead to some cooperation in some areas – like the resumption of stalled cooperation projects that have significant symbolic and financial value. There were areas of interest for either side. For example, the impoverished North wanted the South to resume lucrative tours to its scenic Mount Kumgang resort, which the South had suspended in 2008 after a tourist was shot dead by a North Korean guard. South Korea was very interested in family reunions and wanted the North to agree to regular reunions for families separated by the Korean War. Hwang said the North Korean side had insisted on linking the two issues and making a resolution of the Mount Kumgang question a precondition for discussing the reunions. According to the South Korean representative, the talks got stalled as the North Korean side insisted on linking the two issues and making a resolution of the Mount Kumgang question a precondition for discussing the reunions. “They insisted that the two sides reach an agreement on the resumption of the tours first,” Hwang said. “Our side stressed that the humanitarian issue of separated families and the resumption of the tours to Mount Kumgang are different in nature and should not be bundled together,” he added.
The world sincerely hopes both countries will continue talking. South Korea is a democratic country and therefore must take the initiative to bring the communist rival to the negotiating table.
The failure of talks between South and North Korea which were aimed at easing cross-border tensions between the two sides didn’t come as a surprise. Two days of high level talks broke up yesterday, and sadly, no date was set for further discussions. The fact that the talks took place can itself be considered an achievement because the vice-minister-level meeting, with a mandate to address a broad but unspecified range of inter-Korean issues, were the first of their type for nearly two years. But such is the depth of animosity and mistrust between the two neighbours that any breakthrough is possible only if both sides are willing to climb down from their positions. North Korea especially seems to be averse to any negotiated settlement. The communist country revels in jingoism and threats, and its military leaders have an interest in keeping the tensions on the borders alive.
According to the chief delegate of South Korea , Hwang Boo-Gi, the North Korean intransigence over what issues could be discussed contributed to the failure of the talks in the jointly-run Kaesong industrial zone. Seoul had proposed the continuation of the talks next week, but Pyongyang rejected that proposal too.
While no major breakthrough was expected, there was a hope that the talks could lead to some cooperation in some areas – like the resumption of stalled cooperation projects that have significant symbolic and financial value. There were areas of interest for either side. For example, the impoverished North wanted the South to resume lucrative tours to its scenic Mount Kumgang resort, which the South had suspended in 2008 after a tourist was shot dead by a North Korean guard. South Korea was very interested in family reunions and wanted the North to agree to regular reunions for families separated by the Korean War. Hwang said the North Korean side had insisted on linking the two issues and making a resolution of the Mount Kumgang question a precondition for discussing the reunions. According to the South Korean representative, the talks got stalled as the North Korean side insisted on linking the two issues and making a resolution of the Mount Kumgang question a precondition for discussing the reunions. “They insisted that the two sides reach an agreement on the resumption of the tours first,” Hwang said. “Our side stressed that the humanitarian issue of separated families and the resumption of the tours to Mount Kumgang are different in nature and should not be bundled together,” he added.
The world sincerely hopes both countries will continue talking. South Korea is a democratic country and therefore must take the initiative to bring the communist rival to the negotiating table.
