hankyoreh

The two Koreas will open their first military talks of the new year in the truce village of Panmunjeom on January 25. The meeting proposed by North Korea is a welcome sign amid what seemed like a slow-down in progress in both inter-Korean relations and multilateral talks on the North Korean nuclear issue.

The Ministry of National Defense announced on January 23 that South and North Korea will hold a round of working-level military talks at the House of Peace on the southern side of Panmunjeom. The two sides will discuss the implementation of items agreed upon at the second inter-Korean defense ministerial talks, which took place last fall, such as operation of a freight train between Munsan and Bongdong, the ministry added.

A ministry official reported it was North Korea that first suggested having the talks. Prior to this, North Korea postponed the first meeting on the inter-Korean railroad cooperation indefinitely. The meeting had been slated for January 22-23 in Gaeseong (Kaesong).

Regarding the fact that the North Korean military, instead of the United Front Department of its ruling Workers’ Party, will take part in the first round of inter-Korean talks following South Korea’s presidential election, a government official said, “The United Front Department should prepare for policy change following the South’s regime change but the working-level military talks can deal with limited issues in a practical time frame.”

Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Hyung-gi remarked that the upcoming talks are aimed at examine the issue of security in relation to the operation of the trains between Munsan and Bongdong, which have been operating for over a month. South Korea wants the North Korean military to provide a security guarantee while the trains are in operation.

In addition, the North is reported to have urged the South to make improvements, saying that the actual shipments carried by the freight trains have been less than expected. Pyongyang would also like to put on the agenda the creation of customs and quarantine facilities at Bongdong station and the matter of supporting vehicles and oil needed by related persons for the commute between Gaeseong and Bongdong.



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