Most Popular
-
1
IMF lowers Korea's 2025 growth outlook to 2%
-
2
Reality show 'I Live Alone' disciplined for 'glorifying' alcohol consumption
-
3
Now is no time to add pressure on businesses: top executives
-
4
CJ CheilJedang to spur overseas growth with new Hungary, US plants
-
5
Japan to hold 1st memorial for Korean forced labor victims at Sado mine
-
6
[Herald Interview] How Gopizza got big in India
![[Herald Interview] How Gopizza got big in India](//res.heraldm.com/phpwas/restmb_idxmake.php?idx=644&simg=/content/image/2024/11/20/20241120050057_0.jpg&u=20241120164556)
-
7
Nearly half of pines at Seoraksan face extinction due to global warming: study
-
8
Blackpink's solo journeys: Complementary paths, not competition
-
9
Nationwide rail disruptions feared as union plans strike from Dec. 5
-
10
Seoul to host winter festival from Dec. 13
![[Herald Interview] How Gopizza got big in India](http://res.heraldm.com/phpwas/restmb_idxmake.php?idx=644&simg=/content/image/2024/11/20/20241120050057_0.jpg&u=20241120164556)
북한이 18일 우리 정부가 제안한 이산가족 상봉을 위한 실무접촉 제안을 이틀 만에 수용하고 금강산 관광 재개를 위한 회담도 제안 했다.
북한의 대남기구인 조국평화통일위원회(조평통)는 이날 대변인 담화를 통해 "오는 추석을 계기로 금강산에서 흩어진 가족, 친척 상봉을 진행하며 10·4선언 발표일 에 즈음하여 화상상봉을 진행하도록 한다"고 밝혔다고 조선중앙통신이 보도했다.
그러나 실무접촉 장소는 우리 정부가 제안한 판문점 내 남측 지역인 '평화의 집 ' 대신 금강산에서 하자고 수정 제의했다.
조평통은 "북남 적십자 실무회담은 남측의 제안대로 23일에 개최하도록 하며 장소는 금강산으로 해 실무회담 기간 면회소도 돌아보고 현지에서 그 이용 대책을 세우도록 한다"라고 제안했다.
앞서 정부는 지난 16일 판문점 연락채널을 통해 "추석을 전후한 이산가족 상봉 등 인도적 문제를 해결하기 위한 적십자 실무접촉을 23일 판문점 내 우리 측 지역인 평화의 집에서 가질 것"을 북측에 공식 제의했다.
북한은 특히 이산가족 실무접촉 전날 금강산 관광 재개를 위한 실무회담을 추가로 제안해 금강산 관광 재개에 강한 의지를 드러냈다.
조평통은 "금강산 관광 재개를 위한 북남 당국 실무회담을 개최하도록 한다"며 "금강산 관광 재개를 위한 실무회담에서는 관광객 사건 재발방지 문제, 신변안전 문 제, 재산 문제 등 남측의 관심사로 되는 문제들을 포괄적으로 협의해결할 수 있을 것"이라고 밝혔다.
이어 "실무회담 날짜는 22일로 하며 회담장소는 금강산으로 할 것을 제의한다"면서 "개성공업지구 정상화에 이어 금강산 관광이 재개되면 온 겨레에게 또 하나의 커다란 기쁨을 안겨주게 될 것"이라고 덧붙였다.
조평통은 또 "조선반도의 평화와 민족공동의 번영을 위한 사업을 활성화하도록 한다"며 "민족의 화해와 단합, 나라의 평화와 통일을 위한 제반 사업들을 여러 분야 에서 활발히 벌여 북남 사이의 동포애적 유대를 강화해나갈 것"이라고 밝혔다.
이어 "우리 측 제안이 실현되면 북남관계가 크게 전진하게 될 것이며 북남사이의 신뢰가 보다 증진되고 통일의 길이 앞당겨지게 될 것"이라며 "남측 당국이 우리의 제의에 기꺼이 호응해 나오리라고 믿는다"고 강조했다.
통일부는 북한의 이날 조평통 대변인 담화에 대해 "정부의 입장이 정해지는 대로 추후에 공지하겠다"고 밝혔다.
정부 당국자는 "정부에서 논의를 해 봐야 하는데 어떻게 될지는 불확실하다"면서 "정부 입장이 오늘 안에 나올지 나오지 않을지는 불분명하다"고 말했다.
<관련 영문 기사>
N. Korea accepts Seoul’s proposal for talks over family reunions
Pyongyang proposes talks over Geumgang tours Thursday
By Song Sang-ho
North Korea on Sunday accepted South Korea’s proposal for talks on Friday to arrange the first reunions of separated families in nearly three years around Korean Thanksgiving next month in another sign of a thaw in their relations.
In a statement issued by the North’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, Pyongyang said that it would discuss the issue of holding family reunions in Mount Geumgang on the occasion of the Chuseok holiday that falls on Sept. 19.
Carried by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency, the statement also said video-linked reunions would occur in time for the anniversary of the Oct. 4 inter-Korean declaration signed in 2007 during a summit in Pyongyang between late former leaders Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Jong-il.
The communist state also proposed holding working-level talks over the resumption of long-stalled tours to the Mount Geumgang resort on Thursday.
Last week, Seoul’s Red Cross proposed a meeting with its North Korean counterpart this Friday at the Peace House on the South’s side of Panmunjeom to “consult on humanitarian issues such as family reunions around the Chuseok.
The North proposed holding Red Cross talks in Mount Geumgang to check facilities there for reunions.
Family reunions have not been held since October 2010 as inter-Korean ties plunged to one of their lowest ebbs due to a series of North Korean provocations including its artillery shelling of Yeonpyeongdo Island in November 2010 that killed two marines and two civilians.
Seoul has recently focused on the humanitarian aspect of the separated families issue as many of them have died of old age. Of the survivors, 9.3 percent were aged over 90, 40.5 percent were in their 80s, 30.6 percent in their 70s and 11.4 percent in their 60s.
According to the Unification Ministry, only 72,882 of the 128,842 South Koreans -- registered since 1988 -- remain alive as of July 31, meaning that some 2,000 have died each year
The Mount Geumgang tours have been suspended since a South Korean tourist was shot dead by a North Korean soldier there for allegedly trespassing into a restricted area in July 2008. Following the suspension of the tours to the mountain, tours to Gaeseong have also been suspended.
The North has repeatedly called for the resumption of the tours, but the South has maintained that tours will not resume until the North provides a clear explanation for the shooting and guarantees full-scale safety measures for tourists in the future.
The North is said to have raked in $1.5 million in 2006 and $2 million in 2007 through the Geumgang tour program. Under deepening international isolation stemming from its nuclear and missile program, Pyongyang has been in desperate need of outside financial sources.
(sshluck@heraldcorp.com)
N. Korea accepts Seoul’s proposal for talks over family reunions
Pyongyang proposes talks over Geumgang tours Thursday
By Song Sang-ho
North Korea on Sunday accepted South Korea’s proposal for talks on Friday to arrange the first reunions of separated families in nearly three years around Korean Thanksgiving next month in another sign of a thaw in their relations.
In a statement issued by the North’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, Pyongyang said that it would discuss the issue of holding family reunions in Mount Geumgang on the occasion of the Chuseok holiday that falls on Sept. 19.
Carried by the North’s official Korean Central News Agency, the statement also said video-linked reunions would occur in time for the anniversary of the Oct. 4 inter-Korean declaration signed in 2007 during a summit in Pyongyang between late former leaders Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Jong-il.
The communist state also proposed holding working-level talks over the resumption of long-stalled tours to the Mount Geumgang resort on Thursday.
Last week, Seoul’s Red Cross proposed a meeting with its North Korean counterpart this Friday at the Peace House on the South’s side of Panmunjeom to “consult on humanitarian issues such as family reunions around the Chuseok.
The North proposed holding Red Cross talks in Mount Geumgang to check facilities there for reunions.
Family reunions have not been held since October 2010 as inter-Korean ties plunged to one of their lowest ebbs due to a series of North Korean provocations including its artillery shelling of Yeonpyeongdo Island in November 2010 that killed two marines and two civilians.
Seoul has recently focused on the humanitarian aspect of the separated families issue as many of them have died of old age. Of the survivors, 9.3 percent were aged over 90, 40.5 percent were in their 80s, 30.6 percent in their 70s and 11.4 percent in their 60s.
According to the Unification Ministry, only 72,882 of the 128,842 South Koreans -- registered since 1988 -- remain alive as of July 31, meaning that some 2,000 have died each year
The Mount Geumgang tours have been suspended since a South Korean tourist was shot dead by a North Korean soldier there for allegedly trespassing into a restricted area in July 2008. Following the suspension of the tours to the mountain, tours to Gaeseong have also been suspended.
The North has repeatedly called for the resumption of the tours, but the South has maintained that tours will not resume until the North provides a clear explanation for the shooting and guarantees full-scale safety measures for tourists in the future.
The North is said to have raked in $1.5 million in 2006 and $2 million in 2007 through the Geumgang tour program. Under deepening international isolation stemming from its nuclear and missile program, Pyongyang has been in desperate need of outside financial sources.
(sshluck@heraldcorp.com)
