28 September 2008 : Yonhap
South Korea's prime minister expressed hope on Sunday that the military talks recently proposed by North Korea, if realized, will help improve worsening ties between the two countries.
North Korea proposed on Thursday a working-level military meeting be held early next week to discuss detailed ways to carry out unfulfilled agreements between the two countries' military authorities, Seoul's Defense Ministry said Friday.
The proposal, which came through an inter-Korean military channel, was a surprise amid the North's moves to restart its nuclear facility and intelligence reports that its leader Kim Jong-il has health problems.
"I hope North Korea will come to the dialogue with a pure intention," Prime Minister Han Seung-soo said in a special address at a Seoul forum. "I don't know what will be discussed (in the talks) but I hope it will become the starting point for improved inter-Korean relations in the future," he said.
However, Seoul is exercising caution in responding to the proposal since the North's military may try to use the talks to defend its position on sensitive issues such as South Korea-U.S. military drills, defense officials said.
The proposal marked the first time that Pyongyang has offered any dialogue with Seoul since the conservative, pro-U.S. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak took office in late February. Pyongyang cut off reconciliation talks and ejected all South Korean public officials from its territory to retaliate over Lee's tough stance toward Pyongyang.
Relations further worsened after a South Korean tourist was shot dead by a North Korean soldier while vacationing at Mount Geumgang on the communist state's east coast.
North Korea refused to apologize or cooperate in investigating the death.
Pyongyang told the International Atomic Energy Agency on Wednesday that it will restart the Yongbyon plant in a week, the U.N. nuclear watchdog said. The North also removed seals and surveillance equipment from the plant and barred U.N. inspectors from access to the facility, the agency said.
South Korea's top intelligence agency has said Kim had a stroke in mid-August and is now recovering after undergoing surgery. But North Korean officials have denied speculation on Kim's illness.
"I'm very disappointed at the North's threatening behavior, such as its recent halt to nuclear disablement, which may cause unrest," Han said. "We should resolve the nuclear crisis in a peaceful manner through the six-party talks."
Seoul will deal with the nuclear issue based on the "principle of mutual benefits" and with patience, he said.
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