Two Koreas to touch on disputed sea border

By Lee Min-hyung

The two Koreas are set to narrow their differences on the disputed western sea border during their ongoing three-day summit, but experts voiced skepticism over the possibility that both sides can come to “specific terms.”

The issue has topped the military agenda of Seoul and Pyongyang for decades, because North Korea has never officially acknowledged the sea border, officially known as the Northern Limit Line (NLL), here.

A series of military conflicts has even taken place in the area, with the North refusing to accept the line.

“The North has not recognized the existence of the NLL during any of the previous inter-Korean declarations,” said Lee Gyu-chang, a director at the Korea Institute for National Unification.

“It will be very tough for President Moon to resolve the issue during the ongoing summit at a time when both sides have so far failed to reach a consensus on even its fundamentals,” he said.

In the April 27 Panmunjeom Declaration, the two Koreas agreed to establish a “Peace Zone” near the disputed western sea border. For this reason, expectations have surfaced that President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un may sign a more updated agreement on the NLL during their third meeting which started Tuesday in Pyongyang.

The two sides need to hold more dialogue over the issue until they reach a clear agreement, according to Moon. In other words, it requires more time and engagement between both sides before realizing that part of the Panmunjeom Declaration, the expert said.

“The leaders of the two Koreas will focus more on other matters — such as disarmament in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) — during the summit, as they have had enough talks on the topic,” he said.

For two days since last Thursday, the two Koreas held working-level military talks to fine-tune a military agenda to be discussed during the summit.

The Ministry of National Defense did not unveil detailed agreements during the dialogue, but reports said that both Koreas failed to reach a consensus over the NLL. Cheong Wa Dae also declined to comment on the details of what Moon plans to discuss in his meeting with Kim.

“As leaders from the two Koreas exchanged their desire to turn the area into a peaceful place, there stands a reasonable chance that Moon and Kim may reach a more updated version of the agreement on the issue,” a government official said, asking for anonymity.

He concurred, however, with Lee that the issue is a task that requires time and patience from both sides.

This is not the first time that Seoul and Pyongyang have sought to ease tension on the controversial western sea border. The NLL has been cited as one of the most tension-ridden areas where many South Korean soldiers and sailors have lost their lives after military attacks by the North.

In March 2010, North Korea torpedoed the South Korean frigate Cheonan near the NLL, leaving 46 sailors from the South dead or missing. For years following the incident, inter-Korean relations reached their lowest ebb.

But with the North’s young leader expressing his desire for denuclearization this year, the two Koreas have been on a rapid track for reconciliation.

Riding on this rare peace momentum, President Moon has engaged in three summits with his northern counterpart this year. Moon also called for the need for the leaders of the two Koreas to regularly engage with each other for lasting peace between the Koreas.