[Focus] Third inter-Korean Red Cross talks today

The focal issue of the current South-North Korean Red Cross talks in Pyongyang is the establishment of a permanent meeting site or sites. This bears significance in that the inter-Korean family reunion program has been so far a kind of pilot project, but the proposed program will be able to upgrade the test program to stable, systematic level.

The setup of the meeting places already was agreed upon during the first inter-Korean Red Cross talks in June last year. The remaining problem is to decide on venues and timing of the establishment.

The South Korean side proposed the setup of the meeting point at the truce village of Panmunjom, whereas the North Korean side proposed Mt. Kumgang. The South is ready to accept any Pyongyang proposition, either Panmunjom or Mt. Kumgang.

The Seoul side is of the view that Mt. Kumgang would be preferred to healthy people who can afford to make a long voyage, while the border village would be convenient for the elderly who cannot afford to do so. In case of using the mountain, the separated families between the two Koreas could jointly lodge at the Mt. Kumgang Hotel there.

However, the reunion sites are considered to function until the installation of permanent meeting places that would be made possible with the reconnection of the Kyongui (Seoul-Shinuiju) Rail line. A tentative plan calls for the setup of the meeting place at the middle point between Panmunjom and Kaesong in the North.

Also a matter of concern is the frequency and the size of the family reunions. Though the meeting point is set up, if the number of people is smaller than the group reunion in the past, the new meeting venue will not be necessary. Hence, highest priority is that as many people as possible would be able to meet their long-separated family members.

Other important issues are the location of displaced relatives and the exchanges of their correspondence. But the questions are viable, depending on the successful establishment of the meeting sites.

The prospects for the ongoing inter-Korean Red Cross talks are relatively bright. This is because the North Korean side, holding the 2001 convention to open doors for the unification between the two peoples Jan. 10, pledged to do its utmost to address inter-Korean humanitarian problems including the setup of the family reunion sites.

Ha Tae-Won scooop@donga.com