SEOUL, KOREA - Although the two Koreas are set to hold talks, the two sides still squabble over where to hold the talks. To a suggestion by the South to hold a ministerial-level meeting in Seoul on June 12, the North responded on the 7th, "Let's have a working-level contact at Kaesong on the 9th." The South offered again to meet in the Panmunjom truce village straddling the border.
On the same day North Korea said through a spokesperson for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, "We appreciate the fact that the South side promptly and positively responded to the proposal made by us for holding talks between the authorities of both sides." "Before holding ministerial-level talks as suggested by the South, it is more urgent to have working-level contact," it said.
A Ministry of Unification official said, "In terms of access, Panmunjom is more convenient than Kaesong." But the real reason the South Korean government preferred holding talks at Panmunjom is to gain control of the negotiation by winning the mind game.
In previous South-North talks, the Janam-san Inn in downtown Kaesong has been frequently used as the venue. If the talks went on until late night, they could stay in the hotel. In contrast, Panmunjom has no such accommodation or other amenities such as canteen, forcing negotiators to go back home for the night.
저작권자 © Korea IT Times 무단전재 및 재배포 금지
