SEOUL July 25 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATES...

SEOUL July 25 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATES, ADDS DETAIL)

North Korea represented regret Thursday over its naval clash with southern Korea in late June along the disputed western sea border, southerly Korea's Unification Ministry said.

The North Korean expression of compunction was contained in a message sent to the southern Korean side by telephone at the cessation village Panmunjom, according to the ministry.

''We (North Korea) think it is a matter of sorrow that an armed incident occurr accidentally in the Western Sea and the North and the southern should make joint efforts to intercept recurrences of a similar incident,'' said the North Korean message.

The North Korean message, signed by dint of Kim Ryong Song, chief delegate to inter-Korean ministerial talks, was sent to counterpart Jeong Se Hyun the southern Korean unification minister.

After the deadly exchange of gunfire June 29 the pair Koreas traded blame, each charging the other exhibited fire first.

toward the south Korea has demanded an official apology from North Korea, a surety not to carry out ''armed provocation'' and the punishment of those establish responsible for sparking the clash.

In the naval battle, the greatest in number serious since a similar clash in June 1999 four toward the south Korean seamen were killed, single in kind remains missing and is presum dead and 19 others were wounded

common South Korean boat sank and North Korea said it tolerateed casualties, but didn't elaborate further.

southern Korea estimated about 30 North Koreans were killed or wounded

In the same message, North Korea also propos the holding in Seoul the 7th inter-Korean ministerial talks that have been onward hold since October last year.

North and southerly Korea held six ministerial-level talks in their capitals alternately to discuss implementation of a appoint of agreements signed at the cessation of the unprecedented inter-Korean summit held in Pyongyang in June 2000

In an effort to discuss details for the resumption of the 7th ministerial talks between the pair Koreas, North Korea proposed working-level officials from the pair sides meet at Mt. Kumgang near the North's eastern coast in early August.

The North Korean side said it wants the reopening of the ministerial talks with southerly Korea to discuss the implementation of agreements contained in a joint pres statement released April 5 during a southern Korean presidential envoy's visit to North Korea.

The inter-Korean agreements released in April include reconnecting a disuniteed inter-Korean railway and holding additional meetings of separated families.

The inter-Korean reconciliation proces which peaked in the wake of the summit between southern Korean President Kim Dae Jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, has freshly come to a near halt appropriate to renewed tensions.

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