Lim Dong-won, a special envoy and national security
adviser to South Korean President Kim Dae-jung (C) arrives at an international
airport in Pyongyang, capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK) Jan. 27. During his visit, Lim will discuss with DPRK officials the
nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula. Xinhua Photo
S. Korean envoy in Pyongyang; Inter-Korean talks
agree on passage of MDL
ĦĦBEIJING, Jan. 27 (Xinhuanet) -- South Korean President Kim Dae-jung's
special envoy, Lim Dong-won, was in Pyongyang on Monday for consultations with
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)on the nuclear crisis on the
Korean Peninsular.
ĦĦĦĦThe same day, military authorities of South Korea and the DPRK reached a
four-point agreement on the personnel transit of the military demarcation line
(MDL) which divides the Korean Peninsula.
ĦĦĦĦSOUTH KOREA SPECIAL ENVOY ARRIVES IN PYONGYANG
ĦĦĦĦSouth Korea's special envoy held talks with Kim Yong Sun, a secretary of
the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea.They discussed the grave
situation prevailing the Korean Peninsular and matters of mutual concern to the
inter-Korean relations, the Korean Central News Agency said.
ĦĦĦĦIt was reported that Lim will stay in Pyongyang for three or four days and
present a letter from Kim Dae-jung to DPRK leader Kim Jong Il calling for the
DPRK to take substantive steps in solving the nuclear issue on the Korean
Peninsula.
ĦĦĦĦ"My visit to Pyongyang is aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the
nuclear issue and avoiding any war on the Korean Peninsula," Lim, Kim Dae-jung's
special aide for foreign affairs, national security and unification, told a
press conference at the Inter-Korean Dialogue Secretariat, in downtown Seoul,
shortly before leaving for Pyongyang.
ĦĦĦĦ"President Kim Dae-jung appointed me as his envoy to Pyongyang as a part of
efforts to maintain the peace and stability of the peninsula, and to seek
continuation of inter-Korean reconciliationand cooperation," the envoy said.
ĦĦĦĦ"I am to accurately convey the will and hope of President Kim Dae-jung and
the South Korean people to the DPRK's top leader, KimJong Il, and listen
carefully to his opinion."
ĦĦĦĦEarly this month, South Korea proposed to the DPRK the sending of a special
envoy to Pyongyang. The proposal was accepted by the DPRK delegation during the
ninth inter-Korean ministerial talks held in Seoul last week.
ĦĦĦĦINTER-KOREAN MILITARY TALKS REACH AGREEMENT ON CROSS-BORDER PASSAGE
ĦĦĦĦMeanwhile, the delegates to the inter-Korean military working level
meeting, held at the truce village in Panmunjoem on Monday, agreed on providing
military assurances for the passage of temporary roads in the east and western
part of the demilitarized zone (DMZ).
ĦĦĦĦSuch an agreement paves the way for the long-awaited linkage ofcross-border
railways and roads.
ĦĦĦĦBoth sides will open a 10 meter wide area along the MDL respectively for
the east and west temporary roads inside the Joint (South-North) Administration
Areas (JAA) in the DMZ, said the agreement.
ĦĦĦĦBefore passing through the MDL along the temporary roads, each side shall
provide a list of the personnel, the number of vehicles, materials equipment as
well the passing time to the other side, said the statement.
ĦĦĦĦOnce transit of the MDL is approved, both sides must offer guarantees of
safety for the personnel, vehicles, materials and equipment inside each side's
areas of responsibility.
ĦĦĦĦ"With the signing of the agreement, South Korea and the DPRK have laid the
groundwork for the smooth linkage of the (inter-Korean) railways and roads,
construction of the Kaesong Industrial Complex and launch of the overland
Geumgang Mountain tour project," Brigadier General Chang Kwang-il, who is in
charge of arms reduction at the South Korean Defense Ministry, was quoted as
saying by national news agency, Yonhap News.
ĦĦĦĦThe two sides previously agreed to open temporary cross-border roads from
South Korea for materials transportation for the construction of the complex and
for the overland tour to the DPRK's scenic point of Geumgang Mountain.
ĦĦĦĦChang also hoped the accord would serve as the basis for another agreement
on security guarantees for passage through the MDL after the completion of
construction of the inter-Korean railway and roads.
ĦĦĦĦThe agreement calls for the DPRK and the United Nations Command(UNC) to
comply with the Armistice Agreement signed in 1953 and other previous accords on
security guarantees in operations on both sides of the DMZ.
ĦĦĦĦThe previous working-level military officials' talks held last December
ended without agreement due to the DPRK and the UNC's rowover jurisdiction of
the cross border corridors.
ĦĦĦĦThe latest inter-Korean railway talks in Pyongyang last week agreed to
re-link the inter-Korean railways and roads as soon as possible. Enditem
ĦĦ
ĦĦ