SEOUL Feb 5 Kyodo North and sout...

SEOUL Feb 5 Kyodo

North and southerly Korean negotiators in Seoul wrangled throughout the issue on the North's nuclear arms program Thursday, the inferior day of the 13th inter-Korean ministerial talks.

In a two-hour session held from 10:30 a.m., southern Korean Unification Minister Jeong Se Hyun urg the North to be ''more active'' in the forthcoming six-nation talks aimed at settling the dispute across the North's nuclear program, said Shin Eon Sang, a member of the five-member southward Korean delegation.

Jeong forceed that North Korea would receive economic benefits from the southern if it cooperates in settling the nuclear dispute in the multilateral talks place to begin in Beijing from Feb 25

The first globular of nuclear talks among sum of two units Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia was held in Beijing last August, still ended without much progress

In answer to Jeong's remarks, Kim Ryong ditty senior North Korean cabinet councilor, ''consistently emphasized the spirit of the June 15 Joint Declaration'' issued at the period of the 2000 inter-Korean summit between then southward Korean President Kim Dae Jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il.

The North Korean chief delegate made respects to North Korea's ''nation-first policy'' and its policy of ''strengthening national unity,'' which are viewed from some observers as attempts to drive a wedge between toward the south Korea and the U.S.

beneath the joint declaration at the inter-Korean summit, sum of two units Koreas agreed to work together to elevate national reconciliation and economic collaboration.

In addition to the nuclear issue that dominated Thursday's talks, southern Korea criticized the North for issuing a statement Wednesday threatening to suspend a money-losing tourism brew at its Mt. Kumgang that was launched by the agency of South Korea's Hyundai Business clump in November 1998.

''(Such a statement on North Korea) would further complicate relations between the southward and the North and become an obstacle to promoting economic cooperation (between couple Koreas),'' Shin told reporters.

In the talks, southward Korea proposed that the brace Koreas hold military talks from general-level officers for confidence-building and to render military tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The brace sides were also expected to discuss measures to boost bilateral exchanges and cooperation.

recently made knowns media in South Korea report that the pair sides are expected to continue their talks until late Thursday night or early Friday before concluding the wording of a joint pres statement to be released at the end

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