Koreas Discuss Peace Zone in West Sea
By Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporter
The prime ministers of the two Koreas began three-day talks Wednesday in Seoul to discuss follow-up measures to agreements reached at the second inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang on Oct. 2-4.
It is the first premier-level meeting between the South and North since 1992.
North Korean Prime Minister Kim Yong-il and his South Korean counterpart Han Duck-soo held the first plenary meeting in the afternoon in which they focused on reaching a 10-point joint statement.
The South raised the establishment of a special zone of peace and cooperation in the West Sea, facilities for communication, customs and transportation at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex and expansion of the reunions among displaced families among other items.
The South Korean delegates also suggested forming an organization for implementing the peace zone project and designating a common fishery area in the West Sea, according to sources.
Kim expressed optimism over the premiers' meeting, saying that it will bring agreements for the implementation of plans agreed to at the summit.
``We will do our best to agree to measures to implement the Oct.4 agreements reached between the leaders of the two Koreas,'' Kim said in a press release. ``The historic Oct. 4 statement is a landmark ushering in an era of peace and prosperity.''
Kim further said that the summit agreements should be realized as soon as possible because the world is watching their development.
Meanwhile, the North Korean delegation didn't include any military officials, which may prevent any deep discussion of inter-Korean economic cooperation projects, which basically require military guarantees or cooperation.
The North reportedly showed relatively high interest in the establishment of a shipbuilding area and an improvement of rail and car routes.
``As the prime ministers are looking for measures to facilitate what has already been agreed upon by their leaders, we expect their talks to be substantial and very constructive, a Unification Ministry official said.
At the summit last month, President Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il agreed to various measures that would help ease tension between the Koreas _ which have technically been in a state of war since the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice _ while expanding inter-Korean economic ties and cooperation.
In order to ensure the implementation of their agreements, they agreed to hold talks by defense ministers in November.
One of the key agreements from the inter-Korean summit is the establishment of a joint fishing area near the disputed maritime border in the West Sea where the navies of the two Koreas clashed in deadly firefights in 1999 and 2002.