1. Inter-Korean Talks
DPRK and ROK military representatives held their second military affair talks and exchanged views and reached some consensus on issues concerning railway repairs and roads construction in the demilitarized zone. The ROK Defense Ministry said the ROK and the DPRK will hold the third round of working-level military talks on the cross-border rail links on December 21.
"DPRK-ROK Military Talks" (Daily Report, December 12, PRC)
"Inter-Korean Military Talks" (Daily Report, December 11, ROK)
The ROK proposed to the DPRK that they establish permanent reunion facilities by next March and suggested arranging the third round of temporary family reunions on January 24. Unification Minister Park Jae-kyu suggested a joint panel be set up to ensure continuous cooperation in sports, tourism and academic fields.
"Inter-Korean Ministerial Talks" (Daily Report, December 14, ROK)
"ROK-DPRK Talks" (Daily Report, December 13, US)
DPRK chief negotiator Jon Kum-jin criticized the ROK Defense Ministry's white paper, which called the DPRK the ROK's "main enemy," arguing that such statements damaged the spirit of the peace accords made during the June summit. Shortly after ROK President Kim Dae-jung was presented the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, the DPRK reiterated these statements. There was little progress on high-level talks, and both sides continued their dispute over the ROK's reference to the DPRK as its "main enemy." The DPRK repeated its claims that this would hurt the spirit of the inter-Korean summit, and the DPRK failed to respond to a number of proposals made by the ROK.
"ROK-DPRK Talks" (Daily Report, December 14, US)
"ROK-DPRK Relations" (Daily Report, December 12, US)
"Inter-Korean Talks" (Daily Report, December 12, ROK)
"Inter-Korean Talks" (Daily Report, December 15, ROK)
The Washington Times published an opinion article by James Hackett, in which he argued that the true facts about the DPRK have appeared in the ROK's Defense White Paper 2000. Hackett noted, among other things, that despite the ROK's efforts at reconciliation since the June inter-Korean summit, the DPRK has kept most of its combat units poised near the front line.
"DPRK Military Threat" (Daily Report, December 15, US)
The ROK Unification Ministry said in a brief statement that the DPRK Red Cross wants to postpone a scheduled meeting with its ROK counterparts until next year because of a busy slate of inter-Korean activities this month. The ROK urged the DPRK to push forward with joint projects, saying that it worries that relations between the countries are losing momentum.
"Inter-Korean Red Cross Talks" (Daily Report, December 11, US)
"Inter-Korean Red Cross Talks" (Daily Report, December 11, ROK)
"Inter-Korean Talks" (Daily Report, December 12, US)