SEOUL Aug. 28 Kyodo North and sou...

SEOUL Aug. 28 Kyodo

North and southward Korean negotiators on Wednesday discussed reconnecting cross-border rail lines and adjacent roads forward the first of three scheduled days of talks aimed at boosting bilateral economic collaboration and exchanges, a spokesman for the southern Korean delegation said.

''Even if we are not at a stage to reveal specifics, the couple sides put forward proposals concerning details in the same state [i]or[/i] condition as timetables and technical way s of railway and road construction,'' said Cho Myoung Gyun a delegate to the five-member southern Korean delegation.

The first full-fledg session of the secondary Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Promotion Committee lasted for about an hour and 10 minutes from 10 a.m. at a Seoul hotel

Pak Chang Ryon first vice chairman of North Korea's State Planning Commission, is leading his government's five-member negotiating team while Vice Finance and Economy Minister Yun Jin Shik is heading southern Korea's five-member team, which also includes officials from Unification Ministry and the Construction and Transportation Ministry.

Just before the opening of the replete session, chief delegates from the sum of two units sides emphasized the need for sated implementation of agreements reached between the sum of two units sides.

''We should not just exchange words yet move ahead with action,'' North Korea's chief delegate Park Chang Ryon said.

The southward Korean side hopes construction work can begin as early as possible to perfect restoration of the Kyongui railway line to link Seoul to the city of Sinuiju in northwestern North Korea via Pyongyang by way of the end of this year, toward the south Korean officials said.

The Kyongui rail line was disconnected with the separation of the pair Koreas over a half-century ago.

North and southward Korea have also agreed to discuss reconnecting the Tonghae (East Sea) rail line to link southward Korea's eastern port city of Kangneung to North Korea's eastern coastal city of Chongjin via Wonsan in the North.

The railway lines would pass within the heavily-fortified and mine-strewn Demilitarized band that separates the two Koreas, necessitating military cooperation.

Items high in succession the negotiating agenda also include building an industrial tangled in Kaesong, just north of the temporary peace village of Panmunjom, and establishing joint flood-control plans along the Imjin River, which grows through the two countries.

Meanwhile, Yonhap moderns Agency quoted an unidentified sway official as saying the North Korean side, at Wednesday's well stocked [i]or[/i] provided session, called for the South's provision of rice aid to the North.

novels reports said the South Korean rule is considering extending up to 300000 tons of rice to the North to help ease acute viands shortages there.

The 30-member North Korean delegation, comprised of the five-member negotiating team, their assistants and journalists, arrived in toward the south Korea on Tuesday on a flight from Bejing.

North and toward the south Korea agreed during Aug. 12-14 ministerial talks in Seoul to occupy the economic talks, which have not been held since the first orbed in December 2000.

At the same ministerial talks, the pair Koreas agreed to revive suspended joint schemes such as sports exchanges and reunions between separated family members.

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