Significance of S-N Korean defense ministers¡¯ talks

The South-North ministerial level military talks have a symbolic meaning that the work for the alleviation of tension and trust building between the South and the North will kick off in full swing. If a stepping stone for the building of mutual military trust is prepared through the defense minister-level talks, the inter-Korean economic cooperation is expected to be further activated.

An official at the Ministry of Unification said on Tuesday that for the military authorities¡¯ talks, both defense minister-level talks and working-level military authorities talks may be considered as President Kim Dae-Jung earlier revealed. But at present the defense minister-level talks are highly likely to be held.

He meant that the defense minister-level talks will discuss basic issues and the working-level talks will delve into technical issues.

If the defense minister-level talks are held, the installment of military hotline is expected to be discussed as the main agenda because it is a symbolic measure for the trust building and is easy to be carried out. At the same time, various military cooperative issues are likely to be dealt, including the readjusting the northern limit line (NLL) following the increase in land and sea transportation by the activation of inter-Korean economic cooperation.

A pending issue to be discussed immediately is the removal of mines for the restoration of the Gyeongui Railway. The two sides should discuss ways to prevent possible clashes between the soldiers of the two sides in the course of reconnecting the severed railroad.

A researcher at the Institute of National Unification said that mutual trust is a must to implement measures to literally demilitarize the demilitarized zone (DMZ) and the two sides will also have to discuss how to readjust the deployment of units during the restoration work of the Gyeongui Line in the military authorities talks.

Chief delegates to the envisioned talks will be Defense Minister Cho Seong-Tae for the South and Kim Il-Chol, minister of People¡¯s Armed Forces for the North.

The government expects that Jo Myoung-Lok, chief of military political bureau, who grasps the operation and administration rights of the North Korean armed forces, will become the chief delegate.