KOREA DEMILITARISED ZONE: U.S.-LED UNITED NATIONS COMMAND AND NORTH KOREAN MILITARY OFFICIALS HAVE MET AT THE DMZ

Record ID: 337952

  • Title: KOREA DEMILITARISED ZONE: U.S.-LED UNITED NATIONS COMMAND AND NORTH KOREAN MILITARY OFFICIALS HAVE MET AT THE DMZ
  • Date: 6th August 2002
  • Summary: (W4) PANJUMJOM, DEMILITARISED ZONE, KOREAN PENINSULA (AUGUST 6, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV OF TRUCE VILLAGE OF PANMUNJOM (2 SHOTS) 0.11 2. SV OF SOUTH KOREAN SOLDIERS (DEEP GREEN) MARCHING 0.18 3. SLV/SV NORTH (BROWN UNIFORM) AND SOUTH KOREAN SOLDIERS (2 SHOTS) 0.28 4. LV OF PANMUNJOM 0.32 5. LV/SLV OF TOURISTS AND NORTH KOREAN SOLDIERS AT NORTHERN SIDE OF PANMUNJOM (2 SHOTS) 0.43 6. SV UNITED NATIONS COMMAND (UNC) OFFICIALS ENTERING CONFERENCE ROOM 0.51 7. SLV/SV OF MEETING BETWEEN UNC AND NORTH KOREA (5 SHOTS) 1.16 8. SV/MCU MORE OF NORTH AND SOUTH KOREAN SOLDIERS (3 SHOTS) 1.40 9. LV PANMUNJOM 1.46 10. SV/SV PULL OUT LV OF UNC OFFICIALS WALKING OUT OF CONFERENCE ROOM (2 SHOTS) 2.02 11. SV PULL IN MCU NEWS BRIEFING/(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. MAJOR GENERAL JAMES SOLIGAN SAYING: "I'd like to begin -- first of all -- by saying that we had a very positive meeting, and the tone of cooperation and common interest and reducing tensions and preventing miscalculation." 2.19 12. SV BRIEFING 2.21 13. MCU (English) MAJOR GENERAL SOLIGAN SAYING: "And there was very much of a common desire to ensure that there would be no hostile activities in the west sea." 2.29 14. SLV UNC OFFICIALS DISCUSSING 2.35 15. SV UNC OFFICIALS LEAVING 2.42 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 21st August 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PANMUNJOM, DEMILITARISED ZONE, KOREAN PENINSULA
  • Country: Korea DMZ
  • Reuters ID: LVAE1L3IMQA0VS59C73WHUVLJ9DC
  • Story Text: U.S.-led United Nations command and North Korean
    military officials have met at the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ)
    over the recent naval clash between North and South.



    United Nations Command (UNC) and North Korean military
    officials met on Tuesday (August 6) to discuss the recent
    naval clash in the west sea.

    On June 29, North Korean naval vessels crossed the NLL
    (Northern Limit Line) and fired upon a South Korean frigate,
    sinking it in a clash that killed five southern sailors and
    injured 19.

    Last month, North Korea expressed "regret" over the
    battle.

    The UNC and North Korean officials held a meeting in the
    truce village of Panmunjum, a contact point across the heavily
    guarded border between the two Koreas which remain technically
    at war after their 1950-53 conflict.

    After the meeting, UNC officials told reporters that the
    air was very positive.

    "I'd like to begin -- first of all -- by saying that we
    had a very positive meeting, and the tone of cooperation and
    common interest and reducing tensions and preventing
    miscalculation," said U.S. Major General James Soligan.

    The major general said the UNC informed North Korea that
    it had started investigation of the sea battle and South Korea
    began a salvage operation at the west sea to retrieve the
    sunken boat.

    The officer also said that there was a common desire to
    prevent the similar incident in the future.

    "And there was very much of a common desire to ensure
    that there would be no hostile activities in the west sea,"
    said Major General Soligan.

    The meeting came after the two Koreas agreed to hold a
    cabinet talk in Seoul next week despite the lack of an apology
    over the naval incident from the North.

    But the issue is how to clear up the difference over the
    sea border as the communist country had issued statement last
    week its rejection of the NLL (Northern Limit Line), a line
    drawn by United Nations forces after the 1950-53 Korean War.

    South Korea adheres to the line but the North declared it
    invalid in 1999. Last week's document, which said the NLL must
    be redrawn through North Korea-U.S. negotiations, was followed
    by a request for military talks with the U.S.-led U.N.

    Command.



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