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North Korea Rules Out Further Military Talks with South

   Kurt Achin | Seoul  February 10, 2011
   South  Korean  delegate Army Col. Moon Sang-gyun, second from left, is
   questioned  by  reporters as he leaves for military meeting with North
   Korea in Seoul, South Korea, February 8, 2011.

Photo: AP

   South  Korean  delegate Army Col. Moon Sang-gyun, second from left, is
   questioned  by  reporters as he leaves for military meeting with North
   Korea in Seoul, South Korea, February 8, 2011.

   North  Koreaâs  military says it will not bother to hold further talks
   with   South   Korean  officers.  The  statement  comes  a  day  after
   preliminary discussions between the two sides collapsed.

   Pyongyang  blames  the  South  for  the  collapse of their preliminary
   military  talks.  The  Northâs military said Thursday that the Southâs
   colonels  left their meeting at Panmunjom because they reject dialogue
   and do not wish to see relations improve.

   South  Koreaâs  defense  ministry  says  it  was  actually the Northâs
   delegation that left without comment following an acrimonious exchange
   Wednesday.

   The  North  Korean statement, which adds that Pyongyangâs military and
   people will never "beg" for peace, is relatively subdued compared with
   comments after similar negotiating ruptures.

   Park Kie-duck is a senior researcher at the Sejong Institute, a policy
   research  organization  in Seoul. He believes Pyongyang wants to leave
   open the door for future talks as it does not want relations to remain
   ruptured.

   The  Southâs  lead delegate to the talks, Colonel Moon Sang-gyun, says
   the  door  is  still  open  for  high-level  military  discussions but
   Pyongyang  must  accept Seoulâs condition that it takes responsibility
   for two lethal incidents last year.

   South Korea contends a North Korean torpedo sank one of its navy ships
   in  the  Yellow Sea last March. The North Koreans deny any involvement
   in  the  incident.  North  Korea,  seven months later, shelled a South
   Korean  island  in  the  same waters, but has not apologized, as Seoul
   demands.

   Sejong  Institute  analyst  Park says it is likely that Pyongyang will
   reach out first to suggest another meeting of colonel-level officers.

   Park  says  that is because China, North Koreaâs mentor and supporter,
   wants  inter-Korean  talks to be held. Also, Park says, Seoul has made
   clear  it  will  not  continue with talks unless Pyongyang changes its
   attitude and shows sincerity.

   South  Korean  officials  say  they also want progress on the military
   dialogue  before  allowing  Red Cross talks with the North on resuming
   family reunions across the heavily fortified border.

   The   United  States,  South  Korea  and  Japan  have  also  indicated
   multi-national talks on North Koreaâs nuclear weapons programs are not
   possible until there is some progress in discussions between Pyongyang
   and Seoul

   The nuclear talks also include China and Russia, who have called for a
   new  round.  North  Korea withdrew from the process in 2009 and kicked
   out nuclear inspectors from the United Nations.

   Concern  has  increased  about Pyongyangâs nuclear weapons development
   after  North  Korea  last year revealed an expanded uranium enrichment
   program.

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