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The defense ministers of the two Koreas failed to find common ground over the location of a planned joint fishing zone and the de facto border in the West Sea on Wednesday, the second day of their talks. The two tried to coordinate difference in general and working-level talks late into night and exchanged drafts of an agreement but failed to narrow the gap.
Both sides held firm to their original positions: the South that the fishing zone should cover areas of equal size either side of the Northern Limit Line, the North that it should extend south of the NLL, which it refuses to recognize. A South Korean source said the South Korean delegation will make no concession if the North Korean delegation insists on drawing a new maritime border in the West Sea. The two sides continued efforts to reach agreement during a dinner Wednesday evening. Although the defense ministers¡¯ talks could not produce an agreement, it remains possible that the North will eventually accept the South Korean proposal, the source said.
Differences over the issue prevented the two Koreas from discussing other matters on their agenda, including a daily cargo train service across the border between Munsan in South Korea and Bongdong in the North, developing the mouth of the Han River, and giving military security guarantees for direct flights to North Korea¡¯s Haeju and Mount Baekdu.
Pundits predict the two Koreas will likely seek agreement on military security guarantees for inter-Korean economic cooperation, leaving the other issues unresolved for the next inter-Korean military talks.
North Korean defense chief Kim Il-chol voiced dissatisfaction with South Korean delegates' attitude at Wednesday¡¯s meeting, saying, ¡°Conservative South Korean representatives talk too much about the NLL. It is excessive.¡± Members of the South Korean delegation had reportedly complained about portraits of the late North Korean leader Kim Il-sung and his son Kim Jong-il at the meeting venue, delaying the opening of the talks.
Some working-level officials on the South Korean delegation on the first day demanded the removal of the portraits before the meeting began. But the North refused, saying the portraits are untouchable. The talks opened after a 30-minute argument and the portraits stayed in place.
When the North Korean defense chief complained about the South Korean delegates¡¯ demand, Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo told his subordinates it was wrong to take issue with the portraits when talks were held in North Korea.
The talks are scheduled to end after a 10 a.m. general meeting on Thursday but could be extended since the two sides want to narrow the gap.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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