N.K., U.S. positive toward four-party talks

With the four-party peace talks involving the two Koreas, the United States and China regarded as the formula for the establishment of a peace mechanism on the Korean peninsula, the government is struggling to adjust the two-tiered dialogue with North Korea.

The government has so far maintained the position that the conclusion of a peace treaty should be discussed between South and North Korea, the two parties concerned, while the United States and China should guarantee the agreement. On the other hand, North Korea maintained a policy of concluding the peace pact with the U. S., while adopting a negative stance toward the four-party talks.

Following the issuance of the North Korea-U.S. joint communique, the government plans to promote the two-tier talks with mutual supplementation. Noting that the two types of dialogue are ultimately aimed at the buildup of a peace system on the peninsula, the government has decided to invigorate the inter-Korean talks on security while expanding the area of the four-way talks.

The guideline for the implementation of inter-Korean dialogue is the 1992 South-North Korean Basic Agreement. The accord stipulates that the two Koreas must establish and operate a joint military commission for the implementation and guarantee of non-aggression. The joint commission was tasked with discussing problems related to mutual notification of large-scale troop movements and military exercises, peace in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and the elimination of weapons of mass destruction.

The government believes that if mutual confidence is built between the South and the North, the two Koreas will be able to take the lead in the four-way talks.

At the initial stage, the four parties will hold talks, but later the two Koreas, on the basis of confidence building, could sign the peace treaty. The U.S. and China would then guarantee it, going through the process from Four to Two to Four.