The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Major webtoon platforms' fight against piracy

  • 3

    Samsung unveils new Galaxy S23 smartphone

  • 5

    INTERVIEWA touch of authenticity in Korea's Mexican cuisine scene

  • 7

    Police to introduce new measures to better handle intoxicated people

  • 9

    Korean iPhone users lose 'batterygate' lawsuit

  • 11

    Girl group NewJeans sweeps top 3 spots on Melon's monthly chart for Jan.

  • 13

    INTERVIEW'Extended deterrence is best option to ensure peace on Korean Peninsula'

  • 15

    Park Hyung-sik to play crown prince in tvN series 'Our Blooming Youth'

  • 17

    INTERVIEWUS-NK summit is unlikely in 2023: Korea Society

  • 19

    INTERVIEWIMF expects no recession for Korean economy

  • 2

    Seoul city council under fire for sexual conduct guidelines for teachers

  • 4

    ENHYPEN-inspired webtoon 'Dark Moon: The Blood Altar' surpasses 100 million views

  • 6

    Pyongyang threatens eye-for-eye response as US B-1B bombers join drills in South Korea

  • 8

    Teens feel peer pressure to buy luxury goods endorsed by K-pop stars

  • 10

    Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee team up for coming-of-age film 'Soulmate'

  • 12

    Woman in mysterious child death case gets suspended prison term in retrial

  • 14

    Gov't announces measures to cope with shortage of surgeons

  • 16

    Korea to root out 'jeonse scam,' support victims

  • 18

    Seoul, US hold combined air drills, involving B-1B bomber, F-22, F-35 stealth fighters

  • 20

    Taxi passengers in Seoul taken aback by fare increase

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
Sat, February 4, 2023 | 05:07
Editorial
Pyongyang On Opening Track
Posted : 2007-11-18 17:08
Updated : 2007-11-18 17:08
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
Inter-Korean Premiers' Talks Yield Substantial Outcome

It is encouraging that the prime ministers of South and North Korea came up with comprehensive agreements during their meeting in Seoul that ended last Friday. Both sides had no particular difficulties reaching a consensus as the 1st inter-Korean Prime Ministers' Meeting was designed to implement the agreement struck between President Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in early October.

Due to the top leaders' previous agreements on the principle of peace and reconciliation, the two sides could continue the talks smoothly. They refrained from repeating past practices of engaging in a war of nerves involving politically motivated remarks. North Korea has been showing a sincere attitude in dealing with the inter-Korean issues. We accept North Korea's change as an expression of its willingness to further opening itself to the outside world.

Prompted by the progress in the six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue, international efforts to disable the nuclear facilities in the North have begun to see a tangible outcome. And the North has been demonstrating its willingness to faithfully carry out its pledge to report its nuclear program. A group of North Korean officials recently visited New York to learn state-of-the-art financial know how from world-renowned experts, a fact that heralds the possible U.S. lifting of North Korea from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism.

Most notably, the two sides agreed to take measures to enliven the sluggish Gaeseong Industrial Complex, the symbolic inter-Korean economic project. Agreement to open Internet and telephone services while facilitating passages should be regarded as remarkable progress. This will lead to further invigorating the industrial park and opening the hitherto reclusive North Korean society in the long run.

Another achievement is the accord in creating a peace and cooperation zone in the border area in West Sea, which will prevent accidental military crashes. Opening of railway services linking Munsan in the South and Bodong in the North also has special meaning as it will reconnect the ``Shineuiju'' line linking Seoul and Shineuiju, which has remained disconnected since the Korean War.

Despite the positive factors, there are still many steps that need to be taken to keep the agreements on track. First, the two Koreas should be able to come to consensus regarding military issues, as many of the cross-border projects require a security guarantee from military authorities.

The two Koreas plan to hold a defense ministers' meeting in Pyongyang Nov. 27-28 to discuss measures to apply the agreements in the premiers' talks. The upcoming presidential election should not be any barrier in inter-Korean relations. Both Seoul and Pyongyang need to faithfully carry out the agreements from a long-term perspective regardless of the outcome of the presidential election.
 
Top 10 Stories
1Teens feel peer pressure to buy luxury goods endorsed by K-pop stars Teens feel peer pressure to buy luxury goods endorsed by K-pop stars
2Itaewon tragedy's bereaved families harassed by far-right protestersItaewon tragedy's bereaved families harassed by far-right protesters
3Plan to construct new memorial center for ex-president faces backlash Plan to construct new memorial center for ex-president faces backlash
4Too many emergency text alerts? Gov't to halt daily COVID-19 notifications Too many emergency text alerts? Gov't to halt daily COVID-19 notifications
5Able C&C sale attracts dozens of potential buyers Able C&C sale attracts dozens of potential buyers
6First lady expands presence in domestic politics First lady expands presence in domestic politics
7FSC OKs Apple Pay to be available in Korea FSC OKs Apple Pay to be available in Korea
8K bank decides to delay IPO plan K bank decides to delay IPO plan
9SEMICON Korea defies chip industry downturn SEMICON Korea defies chip industry downturn
10Gov't to provide $293 billion in trade financing to revitalize exports Gov't to provide $293 billion in trade financing to revitalize exports
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Major webtoon platforms' fight against piracy Major webtoon platforms' fight against piracy
2ENHYPEN-inspired webtoon 'Dark Moon: The Blood Altar' surpasses 100 million views ENHYPEN-inspired webtoon 'Dark Moon: The Blood Altar' surpasses 100 million views
3Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee team up for coming-of-age film 'Soulmate' Kim Da-mi, Jeon So-nee team up for coming-of-age film 'Soulmate'
4Park Hyung-sik to play crown prince in tvN series 'Our Blooming Youth' Park Hyung-sik to play crown prince in tvN series 'Our Blooming Youth'
5'Ant-Man 3' promises bigger, better action with same family dynamic: cast 'Ant-Man 3' promises bigger, better action with same family dynamic: cast
DARKROOM
  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

  • World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

    World Cup 2022 France vs Morocco

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group