[Editorial] High-level inter-Korean talks hopefully lead to improved North Korea-US relations

Posted on : 2018-08-13 15:00 KST Modified on : 2018-08-13 15:00 KST
South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon (right) and Ri Son-gwon
South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon (right) and Ri Son-gwon

South and North Korea held high-level talks at Panmunjom on Aug. 13, aimed at preparing the way for the next inter-Korean summit. The talks hold much significance, especially as they were proposed by Pyongyang amid the continuing deadlock in the denuclearization talks between North Korea and the US. It has been agreed that the third summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will be held in Pyongyang within September, thereby serving as a stepping stone to improved North Korea-US relations.

The announcement of the members of the delegations on Aug. 12 suggests a slight difference of views between South and North Korea about the agenda for the high-level talks. The South seemed more focused on the upcoming summit, while North Korea emphasized the importance of economic cooperation on issues such as roads and railways. However, since both the fall summit and the modernization of North Korea’s railways were agreed to in the Apr. 27 Panmunjom Declaration, minor differences in the composition of the delegations must not be allowed to prevent the talks from achieving genuine results.

Recently, concerns have been mounting over the denuclearization talks between North Korea and the US. The North has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the lack of visible reciprocal measures on the part of the US, despite its shutdown of nuclear and missile test sites. The US insists there can be no easing of sanctions before North Korea dismantles its nuclear program. North Korea’s demands for an end-of-war declaration as a form of security assurance have also been met with US passivity. Although the personal trust between the leaders of North Korea and the US seems firm, it’s hard to say what volatility there might be if progress remains halted for long. We’re treading on thin ice.

That’s why another inter-Korean summit is essential now. If left to the US and North Korea alone, there’s unlikely to be any meaningful progress on the issue of denuclearization. When the planned North Korea-US summit fell into crisis, we need to remember that it was the second inter-Korean summit at Panmunjom that broke the ice and allowed the historic Singapore talks to take place. The fact that the North proposed the upcoming high-level talks is viewed as a sign that the North is counting on President Moon to play a role.

A third meeting of the leaders of North and South Korea will be held within September. As agreed in the Apr. 27 Panmunjom Declaration, Pyongyang would be the most desirable location for the summit. Since Blue House officials explained that South and North Korea have been discussing the proposed summit through official and non-official channels, there should be little difficulty in preparing for President Moon's visit even at short notice. The lesson of the June 12 North Korea-US summit is that an actual “exchange of measures,” such as an end-of-war declaration, the easing of sanctions against the North, and the North’s submission of its list of nuclear facilities, will require decisive action by the two leaders themselves. The path to such a future North Korea-US summit should be laid at the next inter-Korean summit. We hope that an agreement on the time and place of the next inter-Korean summit can be made at the high-level talks on Aug. 13.

Please direct comments or questions to [english@hani.co.kr]

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