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Wed, September 27, 2023 | 17:59
Foreign Affairs
Koreas agree to hold talks next week
남북, 당국회담 실무접촉 26일 판문점서 개최 합의
Posted : 2015-11-20 17:32
Updated : 2015-11-21 23:30
Yi Whan-woo
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By Yi Whan-woo

South and North Korea agreed to hold a preparatory meeting on Nov. 26 for high-level talks in line with their agreement on Aug. 25, the Ministry of Unification said Friday.

It said Seoul accepted Pyongyang's offer to set up the meeting among working-level officials at Tongilgak, a conference building on the North Korean side of the Demilitarized Zone.

"We accepted Pyongyang's offer made through Panmunjeom," a ministry official said, declining to be named. "It's a relief that Pyongyang has accepted Seoul's offer for dialogue at last. We'll comprehensively discuss what is needed to prepare for high-level talks, such as time, venue, agenda items and possible candidates for the talks."

In a statement carried by state-controlled media, Pyongyang's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland (CPRF) also confirmed that it made the proposal for the preparatory meeting. The committee deals with inter-Korean affairs.

According to the unification ministry, the South Korean delegation will be led by Kim Ki-woong, an official who spearheaded working-level dialogue with the North in June 2013.

Kim's North Korean counterpart is expected to come from the CPRF.

The latest agreement has fueled speculation on whether the two Koreas will make a breakthrough to further develop ties following their August agreement.

Aimed at defusing military tension across the border, the two sides promised to accelerate dialogue on both the government and civic levels, including high-level talks.

Accordingly, the two Koreas held reunions among separated families in October. They have also facilitated civic exchange in various sectors among religious leaders, labor unions, linguists, historians and athletes.

Pyongyang, however, kept mum on Seoul's proposals made on Sept. 21, Sept. 24 and Oct. 30, respectively, to prepare for high-level talks.

The Kim Jong-un regime instead questioned the Park Geun-hye administration's North Korean policies, saying "Seoul should engage in inter-Korean dialogue in a sincere manner."

"Pyongyang wants to show the world that it leads in inter-Korean relations amid growing international pressure against its human rights record," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.

Yoo Ho-yeol, a North Korean studies professor at Korea University, voiced a similar view.

"North Korea wants improve its ties with the United States in the long term. I'd say its proposal for the preparatory meeting is seen as a move to improve its ties with the South and then draw Washington's attention," he said.

Kim Yong-hyun, a professor at Dongguk University, said, "Pyongyang is seeking to make a breakthrough in inter-Korean relations this year as a way to consolidate Kim Jong-un's leadership."

It remains to be seen whether the impoverished regime will demand Seoul to include the suspended Mount Geumgang tour program on the agenda.

The tours to the scenic mountain in North Korea had been a cash cow for Pyongyang, but they were suspended in 2008 when a South Korean tourist was shot dead by a North Korean soldier for entering an off-limits zone.

Observers also say Pyongyang could ask Seoul to discuss lifting a set of economic sanctions Seoul imposed on May 24, 2010 in retaliation for the North's sinking of the naval frigate Cheonan in March of the same year.




남북, 당국회담 실무접촉 26일 판문점서 개최 합의

북한의 '26일 판문점 통일각 실무접촉' 제안에 우리 정부 동의
'8·25 합의' 핵심 합의사항 당국회담 개최 가시권에 접어들어
교착상태 남북관계 돌파구 열지 주목…의제 놓고 '기싸움' 예상

남과 북은 오는 26일 판문점 북측 지역인 통일각에서 당국회담을 위한 실무접촉을 하기로 20일 합의했다.

북한은 이날 전통문을 통해 당국회담을 위한 실무접촉을 이달 26일 판문점 통일각에서 갖자고 제안했고, 우리 정부는 이에 동의한다는 전통문을 북측에 발송했다.

통일부 당국자는 언론브리핑을 통해 '남과 북은 26일 판문점 북측 지역인 통일각에서 남북 당국회담 실무접촉을 갖기로 했다'며 '북측은 오늘 오전 판문점 채널로 당국회담 실무접촉을 26일 판문점 통일각에서 갖자고 제안했고 우리측은 이에 동의한다고 통보했다'고 말했다.

이 당국자는 '이번 실무접촉에서 당국회담 개최에 따른 제반 실무 문제를 협의할 예정'이라고 밝혔다.

앞서 북한 조국평화통일위원회(조평통) 서기국은 이날 오전 '북남 당국회담을 위한 실무접촉을 11월 26일 판문점 우리측 지역 통일각에서 진행할 것을 제안하는 통지문을 판문점을 통해 남조선 통일부에 보냈다'고 밝혔다고 조선중앙통신이 보도했다.

당국회담 실무접촉 수석대표는 남측의 김기웅 통일부 회담본부장과 북측의 조평통 서기국 부장이다. 북측 수석대표로는 2013년 6월에도 당국회담 실무접촉에 북측 수석대표로 나온 김성혜 서기국 부장이 거론되고 있다.

남북은 실무접촉에서 당국회담의 시기와 장소, 회담대표의 급, 의제 등을 협의할 것으로 예상된다.

남과 북이 당국회담 실무접촉에 합의함에 따라 남북관계 개선을 위한 전기가 마련될지 주목된다.

앞서 우리 정부는 지난 9월 21일과 24일, 10월 30일 세 차례에 걸쳐 당국회담 예비접촉을 제안했다.

남과 북이 지난 8월 25일 판문점 고위당국자접촉에서 '남북관계를 개선하기 위한 당국회담을 서울 또는 평양에서 이른 시일 내에 개최'하기로 합의한 것을 근거로 당국회담의 의제와 급을 조율하는 실무회담을 우선 갖자고 제안한 것이다.

북측은 지난 9월 21일 남측의 첫 당국회담 실무접촉 제안에 대해 '남북 고위당국자 합의가 성실히 이행되기를 바란다'면서도 '대북전단 살포, 북한인권법제정 논의, 북한 도발설 확산 등과 관련해 통일부 당국자들이 남북대결 선동에 앞장서고 있다'는 답변을 같은 달 23일 보내왔다.

북측은 남측의 당국회담 실무접촉 제안의 진정성을 의심하면서 명확한 답변을 회피했다.

이에 우리 정부는 9월 24일과 10월 30일에도 8·25 합의 이행을 강조하면서 당국회담을 위한 예비접촉에 호응할 것을 재차 촉구했으나 북측은 답신을 보내지 않다가 이날 전격적으로 실무접촉에 호응했다.

이번 실무접촉에서 남과 북이 당국회담 개최에 합의하면 교착상태에 있는 남북관계에 획기적인 전환점이 마련될 수 있을 것으로 기대를 모으고 있다.

다만, 양측이 실무접촉 과정에서 당국회담의 수석대표의 급과 의제를 놓고 양측이 진통을 겪을 가능성도 있어 '8·25 합의'의 핵심 합의사항인 당국회담 개최가 순탄치 않을 것이라는 관측도 제기되고 있다. (연합뉴스)
Emailyistory@ktimes.com Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
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