The Exchange Visit of the Separated Families Is Scheduled on Oct. 16-18th

With the agreement on the exchange visit of the separated families and the authority meetings for the inland tour of Mt. Keumgang at the 5th Minister level meeting, the government set for the preparation of the consequent measures to carry out the programs.

The government, in particular, set up a plan to confirm the measures to normalize the Mt. Keumgang tour and to revitalize the Inter-Korean exchanges at the government authority meeting on Oct. 4 and will begin preparing the detail programs in the working group delegation composed of the experts from the Unification and the Defense Ministries.

Both Koreas held in advance a general meeting of the 5th Minister level meeting at the Olympia Hotel, Seoul, and announced the agreements consisting of 5 sections 9 articles including the exchange of the separated families.

According the announcement, both Koreas will establish Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Headquarters to discuss the flood prevention of the Im Jin River and the connection of the railroad and the gas pipe through the Korean peninsula and Russia. In addition, the two Koreas agreed on continuing negotiations in the following working group meetings about the re-connection of the Kyong-Ui railroad, the Gaesung Industrial Complex, the passage of commercial ships through other`s territory, the implementation of the 4 agreement on the economic cooperation, joint fishing area in the East Sea, and the exchange of the Tae Kwon Do Practitioners.

The North raised the issues of the electric power and the food support at the meeting of the chief delegates. However, according to Mr. Lee Bong-Jo, the spokesperson of the South delegation, when the South said, ``Let`s talk about it later.`` the North did not bring about the issue again. Thus, the electric support seems to be discussed at the 2nd Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Headquarters meeting on Oct. 23.

The return visit of Chairperson of the North Korea`s Defense Commission Kim Jong-Il was not discussed at this meeting, accepting the remarks of the North delegation that the issue is the matter beyond the delegation could decide.

The North delegation left for Beijing by the Chinese Airline. The Central Broadcast and the Pyongyang Broadcast aired the joint announcement of the 5th Minister level meeting yesterday.

Kim Young-Sik spear@donga.com