A five-member South Korean delegation, accompanied by 25 assistants and 10 journalists, flew to Pyongyang on Tuesday. The Cabinet-level talks are aimed at following up on the historic June summit at which leaders of the two Koreas agreed to work together for reconciliation and reunification. We feel very positive changes taking place on the road to unification. One hand can't make a sound.
Sound comes when two hands meet.
In talks in Seoul a month ago, the Koreas took a big step towards reconciliation. They reopened border liaison offices that had been closed four years ago because of political tensions and agreed to reconnect a cross-border railway that was cut off just before the Korean War began in 1950. Before yesterday's talks, South Korean delegates said they would focus on easing military tensions by proposing that the two sides open a military hotline and a regular channel of dialogue between military leaders. South Korean proposals also included that the two sides guarantee investment and avoid double taxation to facilitate economic co-operation. Also expected to be discussed in Pyongyang is the date of a visit to Seoul by the North Korean leader, Mr Kim Jong-il.