South Korea’s unification ministry said Tuesday that there have been no meaningful inter-Korean contacts since liberal President Moon Jae-in took office in May. (Image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 7 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s unification ministry said Tuesday that there have been no meaningful inter-Korean contacts since liberal President Moon Jae-in took office in May.
The ministry handling inter-Korean affairs dismissed a local report that government officials from South and North Korea held working-level contacts in Beijing in either July or August.
The two Koreas had some brief encounters on the occasion of international conferences including a meeting of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) held in Bangkok in August, but such moves cannot be viewed as meaningful contacts, a ministry official.
“There is no change in the government’s stance that the two Koreas should hold talks as soon as possible to ease military tensions and resolve the issue of war-torn families,” he said.
In July, Seoul proposed to hold talks on easing border tensions and a Red Cross meeting to discuss reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. But Pyongyang has not responded to the South’s offers.
The official said the two Koreas’ officials briefly met on the sidelines of last week’s international sports meeting in Prague, but he does not have details.
North Korea’s Olympic Committee Chairman Kim Il-guk and his South Korean counterpart Lee Kee-heung attended the 22nd general assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees which was held last Thursday and Friday.
(Yonhap)
