South Korea delays full resumption of aid to North

SEOUL - SEOUL yesterday delayed a full resumption of aid shipments to Pyongyang until it shuts down its main atomic reactor under a nuclear disarmament pact reached last month.

The two sides have agreed at high-level talks to hold an economic cooperation meeting, aimed at addressing the aid issue, in late April - after the 60-day deadline for the North to close its reactor under the Feb 13 agreement, according to a joint statement.

The deal marked a rare victory for the South in fending off the North's demand that the economic talks be held this month. The dispute was the key sticking point at this week's negotiations, delaying the closing session by nearly five hours.

North Korea also reiterated its commitment to last month's nuclear deal. The two Koreas 'agreed to make joint efforts for a smooth implementation' of the nuclear agreement.

The South's chief negotiator, Unification Minister Lee Jae Joung, said he set the date for the economic meeting in the hope that 'everything will go smoothly', apparently referring to the nuclear pact.

Still, Mr Lee said Seoul is willing in principle to resume rice and fertiliser shipments to the North and indicated that Seoul may provide fertiliser before the North fulfils its nuclear obligations.

'Spring is early this year. I think the timing may be moved up,' Mr Lee told reporters, saying fertiliser should be provided in time so the North can use it during planting season.

The meeting in Pyongyang between the two Koreas was the first such Cabinet-level dialogue in seven months, fostered by the North's agreement last month with the US and four other countries to take initial steps towards abandoning its nuclear weapons programme.

South Korea has been one of the North's main aid sources since the two nations held their first and only leaders summit in 2000. This week's meetings were the 20th Cabinet-level talks since then.

But Seoul halted rice and fertiliser shipments to the North after the latter test-fired a series of missiles last July, and relations worsened following North Korea's Oct 9 underground nuclear test.

The provocations were the most serious challenge yet to South Korea's 'sunshine' policy of engaging its longtime foe.

On Friday, the two Koreas also agreed to conduct a long-delayed test run of trains on rebuilt tracks across their heavily armed border in the first half of the year. A planned test last year was called off by the North, whose military said appropriate security arrangements had not been made.

As expected, the North and South also agreed yesterday to resume reunions of families divided by the border, with meetings via a video link set for this month and face-to-face encounters in May.

The North put the reunions on hold last year after the South suspended aid.

Separately, North Korea's chief nuclear envoy, Mr Kim Kye Gwan, is visiting the United States to discuss the possibility of Washington and Pyongyang normalising ties.

North Korea will have similar discussions with Japan in Hanoi next week.

ASSOCIATED PRESS