Kim Nam-shik, center, chief of the Ministry of Unification’s inter-Korean dialogue bureau, and two other delegates depart from their office in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, for talks on flood control of cross-border rivers in the North Korean city Gaeseong, Wednesday. / Korea Times Photo by Ryu Hyo-jin |
By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
North Korea expressed regrets over a flooding incident that killed six South Koreans last month and offered condolences to their bereaved families during working-level, inter-Korean talks Wednesday.
The presidential office hailed the North's apology as a manifestation of its determination to improve relations with the South.
Pyongyang's swift acceptance of Seoul's proposal for inter-Korean talks and its expression of regret are "very positive signs for relations," presidential spokesman Park Sun-kyu said.
The South's Red Cross society plans to propose holding more inter-Korean separated family reunions next month and on Lunar New Year's Day, which falls on Feb. 14 next year, informed sources said.
Seoul will make the proposal at inter-Korean Red Cross talks tomorrow, they said.
Chief delegate to the talks, Kim Nam-sik, said he had asked for a thorough explanation and apology and presented measures to prevent flooding and for joint use of the rivers.
The North explained that a related agency had to discharge the water urgently in a bid to prevent greater damage, he said.
"The North literally expressed regrets and condolences. But in the general context, it can be seen as an apology," Kim said.
Seoul also called on Pyongyang to give a warning if it has to discharge water in the future, he said.
"We will closely watch how the North reacts to our proposal to jointly map out measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents and steps for the joint use of cross-border rivers."
The one-day meeting held in the North Korean border city of Gaeseong ended after reaching an agreement to continue negotiations on ways to prevent flooding.
The two Koreas, however, have yet to set a date for future talks.
The flooding incident happened when the North discharged water from an upstream dam without warning, leading to the deaths of six campers. The secretive state had remained silent over the tragedy.
Seoul proposed the working-level talks Monday and Pyongyang accepted the offer a day later amid a series of conciliatory gestures.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il conveyed a peaceful message through Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao last week that North Korea intends to have a dialogue and improve relations with South Korea as well as other neighboring countries.
President Lee Myung-bak positively responded to the remarks, saying, "I welcome that North Korea is willing to talk about the relations with South Korea. I am always open to this."
The two Koreas are scheduled to hold Red Cross talks tomorrow to discuss humanitarian issues.
Dispersed family reunions had been suspended for about 23 months after the North unilaterally cut off communication channels.
The reunion event was temporarily resumed late last month, giving 100 families from South and North Korea an opportunity to meet at the Mt. Geumgang resort.
ksy@koreatimes.co.kr
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