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Vice-ministerial talks cannot be a strong driving force

Posted November. 28, 2015 09:36,   

한국어

The two Koreas have agreed on Wednesday that they will discuss pending issues at a vice-ministerial talk at Gaesong Industrial Complex on Dec. 11 to improve bilateral relations. It is a follow-up measure of this year`s August 25 Agreement that the two agreed to hold a meeting either in Pyongyang or Seoul within short period of time. But it is disappointing in that the level of the talk is a bit lower and the venue is different from the one they agreed. Although it is good that the two are now open for the opportunity to hold regular meetings, more forward-looking attitude is required to make further progress in the bilateral relationship.

They may have tried to avoid controversy over the level of chief delegates by setting the upcoming meeting at vice-ministerial one, not ministerial talks. In the past, Pyongyang used to insist at bilateral meetings that participants of much lower position were at the same level with Seoul’s counterparts, while the South had to accept its insistence as we didn’t want to lose the opportunities for the talk. The format of a meeting decides the contents to be discussed. At a meeting whose participants from the North have limited authorities and responsibilities, high-level agreement cannot be expected.

For the upcoming working-level talk, we suggested fundamental resolutions for separated families while the North brought about the resumption of travel to Mount Kumgang as key agenda. It is too obvious that they are trying to tackle money-making agenda first. Under the circumstances, Seoul must be clear that there would be no more unilateral giving unless Pyongyang does away with its repeated provocation. It is advised to think again whether policy toward North Korea by the Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun administrations has changed the North.

Both Koreas were able to solve the mine explosion provocation, which had almost brought the two to armed struggle, because Seoul`s delegates, National Security Office Director Kim Kwan-jin, Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo, and their counterparts, Hwang Pyong So, Vice Marshal in the Korean People`s Army and Kim Yang Gon, senior official of the ruling Workers` Party of Korea, put their heads together at 2+2 Talk. Pyongyang called it a “sweeping victory of August 25” to stop the South from sending loudspeaker messages to the North without firing a single bullet, conferring a title of republic’s hero to Hwang and Kim. While Pyongyang gained much, we had nothing but reunion chances for separated families.

It could be a realistic approach to set the meeting gradually at higher levels but Seoul should be aware of the fact that Pyongyang could make yet another provocative threat in February 2015 when Seoul and Washington begin the joint military exercise. What is needed for peaceful unification through reconciliation and cooperation is to have high-ranking officials of ministerial-level or higher sit together to discuss the pending issues.