“Two Koreas Will Soon Hold General-Level Meeting”

After making a joint statement which encompasses opening general-level military talks and six other agendas, South Korea and North Korea successfully ended the 13th inter-Korean ministerial talks.

In a briefing in Shilla Hotel in Jangchung-dong after the four-day cabinet-level meeting, Shin Eon-sang, South Korean deputy minister for unification policy, said, “We have agreed to discuss prior issues in preventing unexpected military conflicts near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in West Sea at an upcoming general-level meeting.”

Deputy Minister Shin assumes, “The general-level meeting will loosen the military tension in the West Sea during the crab fishing season every May to June and will allow safe fishing for the fishermen. Naturally, it will also curb illegal fishing by fishing boats from a third country.”

The two Koreas also agreed to cooperate in solving the North Korean nuclear crisis peacefully in the second round of six-party talks which will be held in Beijing on the February 25.

Both sides also consented to hold the 9th round of family reunions in Mr. Geumgang at the end of next month and open the 14th inter-Korean ministerial talks from May 4 to 7 in Pyongyang.

Seung-Ryun Kim srkim@donga.com