Inter-Korean Ministerial Meeting Breaks Down

The 21st round of the Inter-Korean ministerial level talks ended with the two sides at odds regarding the provision of rice from the South to its Northern neighbor. The talks ended without any sides reaching an agreement.

They released a joint press release after their four-day-long meeting, but no specific items of importance were found. They also failed to set a date for the next round of ministerial meetings, which had been scheduled to be held in North Korea, effectively breaking the talks down.

In a joint press release, the delegations from the two Koreas said, “We saw eye to eye on the need to bring the Inter-Korean relationship to the next level that befits our joint spirit after assessing the achievements and lessons accumulated from some 20 ministerial meetings we have held so far.”

The two also said, “We addressed our opinions in regard to the fundamental and practical issues of the development of the Inter-Korean relationship and discussed them in earnest.”

In the meeting, the North’s representatives raised the issue of delaying rice shipments from the South and demanded to the Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Promotion Committee that the South deliver on its promises when it agreed that, “South Korea will send its rice shipment in late May.” In the meantime, the Northern delegation refused to discuss issues including establishing peace on the Korean peninsula and the gradual opening of trains on the Gyeongui and Donghae railway lines.

The North Korean delegation, led by Senior Cabinet Councilor Kwon Ho Ung, left Incheon International Airport on an Air Koryo flight using the West Sea direct air route back to Pyongyang around 5 in the afternoon today.

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