Page 11 - ARUBA TODAY

A11
WORLD NEWS Wednesday 1 august 2018

Generals from rival Koreas end talks with no agreement

By HYUNG-JIN KIM North Korea entered talks
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) with the United States and
— Rare general-level talks South Korea earlier this
between the two Koreas year apparently because
ended with no agreement it urgently needs to revive
Tuesday, but the top del- an economy hit hard by
egates said they had a American-led U.N. sanc-
meaningful discussion on tions. Kim has made it clear
easing their countries' de- that he prefers a step-by-
cades-long military stand- step disarmament process
off. that is matched by recip-
Experts said it was still un- rocal outside rewards and
clear whether the rivals can concessions for each step.
reach any breakthrough Many experts say North
agreement on reducing Korea merely intends to
tensions in the near future weaken the sanctions and
because South Korea, in has no intention of fully giv-
close consultations with the ing up its nuclear weapons.
United States, must link any Last Friday, North Korea re-
expansion of ties to prog- turned what were said to
ress in North Korea's nucle- be dozens of remains of
ar disarmament. American soldiers missing
The Washington Post re- from the 1950-53 Korean
ported Monday that U.S. War, something Kim prom-
intelligence agencies have ised during his summit with
obtained evidence that Trump. Trump thanked him
indicates North Korea is North Korean Lt. Gen. An Ik San, and his South Korean counterpart Maj. Gen. Kim Do-gyun enter for "fulfilling a promise" to
building new long-range into meeting room inside the Peace House in Panmunjom, South Korea, Tuesday, July 31, 2018. send back U.S. remains and
missiles despite ongoing Associated Press said it was a step in the right
disarmament talks with the some guard posts from the During the April summit and missile and nuclear tests direction following their
United States. It cited anon- Demilitarized Zone that bi- a June meeting with U.S. and shut down its nuclear summit. In exchange for re-
ymous officials "familiar with sects the countries, halting President Donald Trump, test site, and recent satel- turning the U.S. war dead,
the intelligence" as saying hostile acts along their dis- North Korean leader Kim lite photos indicate it also North Korea may demand
that work on at least one puted sea boundary, and Jong Un expressed his com- began dismantling key fa- that the United States
and possibly two intercon- conducting joint searches mitment to the "complete cilities at its main rocket agree on a declaration to
tinental ballistic missiles was for soldiers missing from the denuclearization of the Ko- launch site. But many for- end the Korean War as a
underway. 1950-53 Korean War in DMZ rean Peninsula." But there eign experts believe those U.S. security guarantee.
Tuesday's meeting at the areas. He said the Koreas have been concerns that are not enough to prove it's The Korean War ended with
Koreas' shared border vil- will continue talks on details North Korea hasn't taken serious about disarmament, an armistice, not a peace
lage of Panmunjom was of the issues, according to any serious disarmament saying the North must first treaty, leaving the penin-
the second such high-level Seoul's Defense Ministry. measures since then. submit a list of nuclear as- sula in a technical state of
military contact since the Kim described Tuesday's North Korea suspended its sets to be dismantled. war. q
two countries' leaders held talks as "sincere" and "can-
a landmark summit in April did," saying he believes the
and pledged to reduce the two militaries could contrib-
danger of another war on ute to establishing a last-
the peninsula. ing peace between the
The chief South Korean countries. His North Korean
delegate, Maj. Gen. Kim counterpart, Lt. Gen. An
Do Gyun, said the two Ik San, said the talks were
sides had a common view "productive" and that he
in principle on disarming also believes many pend-
a jointly controlled area ing military issues can be
at Panmunjom, removing resolved.