Koreas Resume High-Level Talks as Kim Keeps Army on War Footing

The crisis erupted as South Korea refused to silence giant loudspeakers – in defiance of a warning by the North. In sending messages of war and offer of a possibility of a way out of the situation, North Koreans are up to their usual antics – trying to foment discord among South Koreans. The first…

The primary high-level talks in nearly a yr between South Korea and North Korea have been adjourned after stretching into the early hours of Sunday, because the rivals seemed to defuse mounting tensions which have pushed them to the brink of a attainable army confrontation. Although the deadline has passed and the South has not stopped broadcasting propaganda, there have been no reports of fighting between the two countries.

Little information has been shared with media about the ongoing talks between the two Koreas.

“They are not talking for the sake of a breakdown but for the sake of agreement”. After decades of animosity and bloodshed, however, finding common ground is much harder.

The talks represented the first high-level contact between the two Koreas since a surprise meeting meeting between Hwang and Kim in October past year, which took place at the end of the Incheon Asian games.

North Korea warned Saturday it is ready to go into an “all out war” with South Korea to defend itself.

There was shock and worry Thursday, when South Korea’s military fired dozens of artillery rounds across the border in response to what Seoul said were North Korean artillery strikes meant to back up an earlier threat to attack the loudspeakers.

“This could be an intentional move by Pyongyang to create the perception of yet another potential threat to keep tensions high and remind the South of the North’s various capabilities”.

North Korea resumed its own broadcasts on Monday and on Thursday, according to Seoul, launched four artillery shells into South Korea in apparent protest at loudspeaker broadcasts. The North denies it was behind the land mines and the shelling, claims that Seoul calls nonsense.

An official from South Korea’s Defense Ministry, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, said that the South continued the anti-Pyongyang broadcasts even after the start of the talks on Saturday. He said Seoul would decide after the talks whether to halt the broadcasts.

Every summer, North Korea makes it known that they vehemently oppose the annual military exercises held by South Korea and the United States. Nevertheless, Koh stated the assembly may open the door to extra talks between the rivals to debate quite a lot of points.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s national security adviser, Kim Kwan-jin, and Unification Minister Hong Yong- pyo met with Hwang Pyong So, the top military aide to the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un, and Kim Yang Gon, a veteran North Korean official in inter-Korean affairs, on Saturday, prompting hopes for a breakthrough.

North Korea and South Korea have remained technically in a state of war since their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, and inter-Korean relations have been in a deep freeze since the deadly 2010 sinking of a South Korean warship.

Authoritarian North Korea, which has additionally restarted its personal propaganda broadcasts, is extraordinarily delicate to any criticism of its authorities. Analysts in Seoul also believe the North fears that the South’s broadcasts could demoralize its front-line troops and inspire them to defect.

The negotiations were interrupted with breaks for both sides to consult with their respective governments, and for snacks, the South’s Yonhap News Agency reported.

Truckloads of soldiers singing martial songs can occasionally be seen driving around the city, and a single minivan with camouflage netting was parked near the main train station for a time as the talks with South Korea began Saturday and are set to resume later Sunday.