The 21st inter-Korean ministerial meeting opened on Wednesday in
the South Korean capital city of Seoul, focusing on bilateral
relations, North Korean official news agency KCNA reported.
Kwon Ho Ung, North Korean Chief Councilor of Cabinet, said they
must abide by the principle that the nation was important and place
this above anything else while settling the issues related to
inter-Korean relations, the KCNA said.
He also called for actions on inter-Korean relations to reflect
the nation's interests and wishes.
Kwon said North and South Koreas have reached agreements on many
crucial issues, including to recognize and respect each other's
ideology and system. But those agreements have not come into
effect.
Kwon stressed that the current talks should focus on settling
the fundamental points already agreed rather than working to make
new agreements, calling for decisive measures against anything that
provokes either side and endangers inter-Korean relations.
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Kwon also criticized North Korea-targeted joint military exercises
launched by South Korea and outside forces after the 20th
inter-Korean ministerial meeting, according to the KCNA.
Lee Jae-joung, South Korean Unification Minister and head of its
delegation, said the two sides should maintain peace at a higher
level by establishing military confidence and the realizing the
Korean peninsula's denuclearization.
He added that the two side should develop and expand their
cooperation in the economic field, the South Korean media
reported.
The inter-Korean ministerial meeting was agreed upon at the
previous meeting in February, when the two sides agreed to make
efforts to expand inter-Korean ties in accordance with the
North-South Joint Declaration signed in June 2000, and take
substantial measures to promote the North-South reconciliation and
unity.
The inter-Korean ministerial meeting, the highest level of
regular dialogue between NOrth and South Korea, shows that
bilateral ties are moving forward along the normal path.
The 21st ministerial meeting will conclude on June 1.
In another development, both sides will hold a new round of
working-level military talks next Friday, said South Korean Defense
Ministry today.
The North side had proposed to hold a round of working-level
military on either side of the truce village of Panmunjom on May 28
but the South counter-offered a meeting on June 8 at the House of
Freedom on the South side of Panmunjom in consideration of a
schedule for the Inter-Korean Ministerial-level talks, the ministry
said in a news release.
The two sides are expected to discuss follow-up measures upon
agreement reached at the inter-Korean general-level talks earlier
this month, the ministry said.
South Korean Army Col. Moon Sung-mook and his North Korean
counterpart Col. Pak Rim-su, both served as deputy chief of their
country's delegation to the general-level talks that were held for
four days from May 8, will be representatives for the talks, the
ministry said.
(Xinhua News Agency May 31, 2007)
