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Tue, August 9, 2022 | 13:02
Koreas agree to hold reunions as scheduled
남북 "이산상봉 예정대로 진행" 등 3개항 합의
Posted : 2014-02-14 14:57
Updated : 2014-02-14 14:57
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By Chung Min-uck

South and North Korea agreed Friday to hold family reunion programs starting next week as scheduled in a deal struck following high-level inter-Korean talks.

"There was a disparity of opinions between the South and the North but following extended hours of sincere talks, we have agreed to hold the family reunions according to the plan," Kim Kyou-hyun, South Korea's chief delegate and vice chief of the presidential National Security Office, told a press conference after the meeting at the border village of Panmunjeom, adding that the two sides also agreed to cease slanderous remarks and verbal attacks against each other.

"It is meaningful that the two Koreas took the first step toward the development of inter-Korean relations based on confidence," Kim said. "I expect us to continue to build confidence through dialogue in the future."

The chief delegate also said another round of high-level talks will be held at a later date to discuss mutual interests.

Experts say the last-minute agreement to push forward the reunions as originally planned will help the two Koreas build momentum toward reconciliation after years of war-like tension.

South-North relations have been at an impasse following the two-year-old Kim Jong-un regime's series of military provocations including a third nuclear test in February 2013 and two long-range missile launches in 2012.

The execution of Jang Song-thaek, Kim Jong-un's uncle and a former political heavyweight, in December also fueled tension on the Korean Peninsula with Seoul strengthening its military posture against Pyongyang by announcing a tailored military strategy exclusively targeting the North in upcoming joint drills with Washington.

The North has historically taken provocative action to divert attention from internal issues.

Lately, Seoul and Pyongyang have locked horns over joint South Korea-U.S. military exercises that partly overlap with the reunions slated for Feb. 20 to 25. The drills kick off Feb. 24.

During their first high-level meeting held Wednesday, Pyongyang demanded the postponement of the exercises until after the reunions. But the allies rejected the request, insisting that family meetings were a humanitarian issue that cannot be linked to military matters.

"We have fully explained to the North our principle of not linking the two and that the reunions must be held as planned to build mutual trust," said Kim, when asked how he persuaded the North. "The North dropped its objections to the military drills although there is a two-day overlap."

The Stalinist country has reacted sensitively to South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises for decades, condemning them as a rehearsal for invasion. Seoul and Washington have insisted the annual exercises are defensive in nature and have nothing to do with attacking the North.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Unification, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said Friday they will send another advanced party of officials, Saturday, to Mt. Geumgang on the North's eastern coast where the reunions are to take place.

Thousands of Koreans remain separated after the Korean War ended in a cease-fire, not a peace treaty.

Family reunions are a pressing humanitarian issue on the divided peninsula, as most of the concerned people are in their 70s and 80s, and wish to see their long-lost relatives before they die.


남북 "이산상봉 예정대로 진행" 등 3개항 합의

남북은 14일 판문점에서 재개된 고위급 접촉에서 기존 합의대로 20∼25일 이산가족 상봉 행사를 진행키로 하는 등 3개항에 합의했다.

남북은 이날 상대방에 대한 비방중상을 하지 않기로 하는 한편 상호 관심사에 대한 계속 협의와 남북관계 발전을 위한 적극 노력에 의견을 모았다. 양측은 상호 편리한 날짜에 고위급 접촉을 다시 갖기로 했다.

남북 고위급 접촉 우리측 수석대표인 김규현 청와대 국가안보실 1차장은 이날 고위급 접촉 결과 브리핑을 통해 이 같은 사실을 발표했다.

정부가 남북관계 개선의 '첫 단추'로 규정한 이산가족 상봉이 확정되고 남북이 추가 고위접촉과 상호 관심사 계속 논의에 합의함에 따라 이산가족 상봉 행사 이후 남북관계 개선이 상당한 탄력을 받을 것으로 전망된다.

김규현 1차장은 '우리 정부 들어 처음으로 개최된 이번 남북 고위급 접촉을 통해 신뢰에 기초한 남북관계 발전의 첫 걸음을 내딛게 된 것을 의미 있게 생각한다'고 밝혔다.

그는 '현안에 대해 남북 상호간의 입장차를 확인하기도 했으나 장시간 솔직한 대화를 통해 당면한 이산가족 상봉 행사의 차질 없는 개최와 남북관계 개선 필요성에 대해 인식을 같이했다'고 설명했다.

그는 '남과 북은 이번 접촉을 통해 남북 간 주요 관심 사항에 대해 격의 없이 의견을 교환했다'며 '특히 우리측은 한반도 신뢰 프로세스의 기본 취지와 내용을 북측에 충분하게 설명했고 북측도 한반도 신뢰 프로세스의 기본 취지에 이해를 표했다'고 전했다.

그는 '오늘의 결과를 출발점으로 해서 앞으로 남북 당국이 대화를 통해 신뢰를 계속 쌓아나갈 수 있기를 기대한다'면서 '정부는 이산가족 상봉이 차질없이 진행될 수 있도록 계속 착실하게 준비해 나갈 것'이라고 밝혔다.

애초 북한은 지난 12일 고위급 접촉에서 키 리졸브 연습을 이산가족 상봉 행사 후로 연기하라고 요구하면서 '군사 훈련 기간에 상봉 행사는 개최할 수 없다는 것이 원칙적 입장'이라고 밝혀 이산가족 상봉 행사의 파행 또는 무산이 우려됐다.

그러나 북측은 이날 우리측의 계속된 설득에 기존 입장에서 한발 물러났다.

김규현 1차장은 '신뢰의 첫단추가 이산가족 상봉이기 때문에 우선 믿고 행사를 그대로 진행을 시켜야 된다는 설득을 많이 했다'며 '북측에서도 '그렇게 얘기를 하니 믿고 한번 해보자' 그런 차원에서 합의를 했다'고 소개했다.

그는 '오늘 발표한 내용에 대해 어떠한 조건도 붙어 있지 않다'고 말했다.

이와 함께 그는 고위급 접촉 정례화 여부에 대한 질문에 '정례화를 의미하는 것인지에 대해서는 지금 단계에서 말할 수 없는 상황'이라면서 '일단 다음번에 상호 편리한 날짜에 고위급 접촉을 갖자는 정도만 합의를 했다'고 밝혔다.
Emailmuchung@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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