Seoul proposes military talks with N.K. on Feb. 11

South Korea on Wednesday proposed holding working-level military talks with North Korea next month, adding to the growing mood for inter-Korean dialogue, which has been rare due to the belligerent state’s two deadly attacks last year.

Seoul’s Unification Ministry also renewed its call for bilateral talks on Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions, stressing that its earnest intent to denuclearize should be verified to ensure peninsular peace and enhance inter-Korean ties.

Such moves came as U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg came here earlier in the day to brief Seoul officials on the results of the U.S.-China summit held last week in Washington and discuss North Korean nuclear issues.

Through an inter-Korean military communications line, the Ministry of National Defense sent the North a message, proposing holding the working-level talks at the Peace House ― controlled by the South ― in the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjeom at 10 a.m. on Feb. 11.

The “preliminary talks” are aimed at coordinating details about the date, venue, agenda and level of representatives for the high-level military talks, which the communist state suggested holding last Thursday.

While making the proposal through a faxed message, the North said it wanted to hold the talks to explain its “views” on the sinking of the Cheonan in March and the artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island in November, and discuss ways to address military tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Military officials said that the high-level military talks are likely to be defense-minister talks. Should the talks between the defense chiefs be held, it would be the third event of its kind following the first in 2000 and the second in 2007.

“The working-level talks are designed to prepare for the high-level talks whose agenda will include the North’s responsible measures for the ship sinking and the artillery attack, and its promise to prevent additional provocations from happening again,” the Defense Ministry said in a press release.

Should the working-level talks be held, it would mark the first military talks since those held last September in Panmunjeom.

Ministry spokesperson Kim Min-seok stressed that the high-level talks will be held only when North Korea takes “responsible measures” for its deadly attacks last year, which include an official apology.

“If North Korea refuses to do so, the ministerial-level talks won’t be held,” Kim said in a press briefing.

Some observers were cautiously skeptical about the prospect of the high-level military talks given that the North has persistently denied its responsibility for the sinking of the 1,200-ton corvette, which killed 46 sailors.

Others said that to avoid criticism for being “too obstinate and inflexible” and failing to capitalize on the peaceful mood being forged here, Seoul may eventually agree to hold the talks.

They also noted that the North is not in a position to reject the talks as the U.S. and China apparently concur that an improvement in the bilateral relations through the inter-Korean dialogue is a precondition for the resumption of the aid-for-denuclearization talks.

The impoverished state has been seeking to resume the six-party talks, which could offer them much-needed economic and diplomatic assistance. Other than the two Koreas, the talks also involve China, Russia, Japan and the U.S.

In a statement credited to its spokesperson, the Unification Ministry renewed its call for “high-level” inter-Korean dialogue through which the North would reaffirm its commitment to denuclearization.

“For peace on the peninsula and true improvement of inter-Korean relations, North Korea’s intention to abandon nuclear programs should be verified. For this, we call on the North to accept the proposal for talks through which it can explain its ‘responsible position’ on nuclear issues,” spokesperson Chun Hae-sung said in the statement.

The ministry first proposed holding such talks on Jan. 10, but the North has yet to respond, Chun added.

“We urged the North to accept the proposal for talks once again as the North has yet to respond to the previous one. As of yet, we have no plan to fax a message containing the proposal to the North,” Chun said.

Observers said that through such a proposal, Seoul seeks to underscore that North Korean nuclear programs are also a crucial bilateral pending issue among others.

The prospect of the inter-Korean denuclearization talks remains uncertain as the North has so far claimed that its denuclearization is not an agenda item to be discussed with the South and should be dealt with at the six-party talks.

However, observers said the North could agree to the inter-Korean talks to display its desire, albeit insincere, for the resumption of the multilateral nuclear talks to Washington and Beijing.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)