[Editorial] Matching Red Cross talks with "new thinking"

Much attention and high expectations surround the third round of Red Cross talks, the first inter-Korean discussions since the beginning of the year. The talks will take place at a Mt. Kumgang resort for three days from Monday. The emphasis placed on new thinking by North Korean strongman Kim Jong-Il, who called for delegates to address all problems in a way that reflects the trends of the 21st century, lends greater weight to the talks.

The three major topics to be raised during the upcoming talks are expanding the scope of efforts to locate separated family members, introducing mail exchanges and establishing a permanent site for family reunions. Despite the fanfare that accompanied the two family meetings so far, only 400 people from both sides have actually met. This is a very small number in view of the fact that there are an estimated 10 million separated family members and that over 100,000 South Koreans applied to participate in the reunions. The meetings turned out to be more or less short-lived publicity events. To remedy this situation, the goals of the meeting must be achieved as soon as possible.

Pyongyang promised last year that they would agree to set up a permanent facility for family reunions if the South repatriated long-term North Korean prisoners held here. In early September 63 prisoners were sent back to the North but the latter did not keep its promise on the proposed meeting place. North Koreans now seem to be demanding the return of even those prisoners who chose to reside here. The North would rather release South Korean prisoners of war and abducted Southern fishermen still held captive in the North.

The North`s insistence on the Mt. Kumgang area as the meeting venue leads us to question the good faith of the North Koreans. The meeting place should be located at a place where it is readily accessible and easy to reach by the families involved in the reunions. A politically neutral site, one that is easily reached and offers inexpensive accommodations would be the best choice. The Mt. Kumgang area is hardly suitable. North Korea has refused to consider Seoul`s suggestion to use Panmunjom, the pretext being that the U.S. forces exercise control over this border area. As things now stand, however, no better place is likely to be found. If and when the cross-border Seoul-Shinuiju rail line is relined around September, it would be natural to move the site to a neutral zone somewhere between Kaesong and Munsan.

Many families no doubt paid homage to their ancestors and relatives on New Year`s Day without knowing if the latter were dead or alive. Others were surely troubled by the fact that they haven`t been able to contact their loved ones in the North. North Korea ought to look at their plight from a humanitarian standpoint. The question of establishing a permanent meeting place for them should be resolved without delay in a rational way, ruling out all political considerations.