Posted February. 20, 2001 18:05,
The Defense Ministry disclosed a plan Tuesday to promote the building of an emergency liaison channel with North Korea to prevent potential mishaps involving military and civilian ships and aircraft and deal with any unforeseen events in a peaceful way.
Saying that such a proposal would be made at the next inter-Korean defense ministers` talks, the ministry noted that the emergency liaison system would comprise communications and joint regulations on the prevention of accidents and methods of resolving any crises.
As an initial step, the defense ministry is studying ways of utilizing the two direct telephone lines that exist between the Area Control Center (ACC) in Taegu and that in Pyongyang.
A high-ranking ministry official stated that measures are needed to prevent mishaps such as last year`s accidental violation of North Korean airspace by a U.S. F-18 fighter. The proposal is considered a realistic alternative for North Korea, which has been reluctant to comply with a Seoul initiative to establish an inter-Korean military hotline.