NORTH KOREA-SOUTH KOREA/MORNING Seoul residents hope top-level talks ease tensions on the Korean peninsula

Record ID: 142917

  • Title: NORTH KOREA-SOUTH KOREA/MORNING Seoul residents hope top-level talks ease tensions on the Korean peninsula
  • Date: 23rd August 2015
  • Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AUGUST 23, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CARS AND BUSES PASSING ON SEOUL STREET PEOPLE WALKING SEOUL STREET ELECTRIC BOARD ON BUILDING READING (in Korean) "THE SEOUL SHINMUN NEWS / SOUTH AND NORTH KOREA 2+2 HIGH RANKING OFFICIALS MEET AT PANMUNJOM, KIM KWAN-JIN FROM SOUTH KOREA, HWANG PYONG SO FROM NORTH KOREA" (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) 22-YEAR-OLD KIM YU-RIM SAYING: "I know it's not easy but I hope the talks end well so that our citizens can stay safe without getting any damage. And people say it might take long time (to resolve the problem) but I hope this situation ends soon and safely." VARIOUS OF MAN READING NEWS ON BOARD (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) 42-YEAR-OLD KIM HWI-YOUNG SAYING: "I feel a little bit worried because the tension between South and North Korea remains. I hope the situation calms down soon so that people can get back to normal. I also hope this be a chance that South and North can collaborate and develop together." PEOPLE WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) 29-YEAR-OLD WOO YEON-JUNG SAYING: "I feel very nervous. My family is also getting ready now. We are storing extra foods including instant noodles. I hope the meeting ends well and quickly so that two Koreas can build stable relationship." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING
  • Embargoed: 7th September 2015 13:00
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  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAEFGN2TKBYIKEVHWXSCODQ6KHI
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Seoul residents said on Sunday (August 23) that they hoped top-level talks between senior advisors to the leaders of North and South Korea will ease tensions on the Korean peninsula.
    Top aides to the leaders of North and South Korea are due to resume talks on Sunday after negotiating through the night in a bid to ease tensions that brought the peninsula to the brink of armed conflict.
    The meeting at the Panmunjom truce village inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) began on Saturday (August 22) evening, shortly after North Korea's deadline for Seoul to halt anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts or face military action, and broke before dawn on Sunday.
    The envoys held discussions on how to resolve tensions and improve ties, South Korea's presidential Blue House said in a brief statement. The talks were due to resume at 3 p.m. Seoul time (0600GMT).
    "I know it's not easy but I hope the talks end well so that our citizens can stay safe without getting any damage. And people say it might take a long time (to resolve the problem) but I hope this situation ends soon and safely," 22-year-old Kim Yu-rim said.
    "I feel a little bit worried because the tension between South and North Korea remains. I hope the situation calms down soon so that people's lives can get back to normal. I also hope this be a chance that South and North can collaborate and develop together," 42-year-old Kim Hwi-young said.
    "I feel very nervous. My family is also getting ready now. We are storing extra foods including instant noodles. I hope the meeting ends well and quickly so that two Koreas can build a stable relationship," said 29-year-old Woo Yeon-jung.
    The current tensions began early this month when two South Korean soldiers were wounded by landmines along the border. The North denies laying the mines. Days later, Seoul began its propaganda broadcasts from banks of loudspeakers, including news reports and entertainment from the South, resuming a tactic both sides halted in 2004.
    The crisis escalated on Thursday (August 20) when the North fired four shells into the South, according to Seoul, which responded with a barrage of 29 artillery rounds. North Korea declared a "quasi-state of war" in front-line areas and made an ultimatum for Seoul to halt its broadcasts.
    That deadline passed on Saturday without any reported incidents.
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