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Journalism of Courage
South and North Korea today agreed to hold general-level military talks for the first time in nearly two years, the South’s Unification Ministry said on Friday.
The agreement came after a working-level meeting at the border village of Panmunjom. The divided Koreas agreed to hold high-level talks in late February or early March in Panmunjom, according to the Ministry. The last round of high-level military talks were held in June 2004.
The two sides had agreed to a third round of talks, but the negotiations were on hold due to the North Korea’s criticism of annual joint military exercises between South
Korea and the US and other inter-Korean disputes.
North Korea denounces the drills as a US rehearsal to attack the communist country, a charge Washington denies.
Japan hints at sanctions
Tokyo: Japan could consider sanctions against North Korea if it refuses to resolve the cases of Japanese citizens kidnapped by Pyongyang, a top government spokesman said on Friday
Chief cabinet secretary Shinzo Abe’s comments came ahead of talks in Beijing on Saturday between Japan and North
Korea. The negotiations will concentrate on the abduction cases and the North’s missile and nuclear weapons
programmes.
Abe said, “If there is no sincere response from North Korea, the government needs to consider various measures since the Japanese public will not be satisfied.” —AP
