Press Release (March 2, 2010)
Sectoral working-level meetings to be continued
l On March 2, the North and the South delegations discussed specific ways to resolve the 3C issue (crossings, communication and customs clearance) at an inter-Korean working-level meeting. There were a general meeting and two sectoral meetings; one was on crossings and customs clearance and the other on communication.
- Sectoral working-level meetings would continue to be held to discuss the issue in more detail.
- The date of the next meeting would be decided later.
l The South delegation explained the basic principles for resolving the 3C issue and our position on how to hold the next round of meeting and urge the North delegation to accept them.
- To have today s meeting effectively, two separate meetings were held; one was on crossings and customs clearance and the other on communication.
- When it comes to the issue of crossings, the South representatives urged the RFID system to be brought so that people could be allowed to go and come to North Korea on a daily basis. To this end, an electronic entrance system should be built in March and be run from May.
- To accelerate customs clearance procedure, a sampling system should be introduced. At first 50% of items would be inspected by sampling and then, the portion would increase gradually.
- To guarantee free communication, internet and mobile phone services should be provided as soon as possible.
l The North delegation agreed on how to hold the next round of working-level meeting. However, they continued to insist that if we were to talk about the 3C issue, we should first
- Implement the June 15 and October 14 Declarations; stop hostile and provocative actions toward the North; carry out what the two Koreas had previously agreed on the issue.
- In particular, the North delegation presented a new list of equipment and materials which would be used to resolve the 3C issue at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex and in the eastern districts and required their South counterpart to supply them first.
The North delegation raised questions including tension-provoking on the West Sea, distribution of fliers criticizing North Korea and Key Resolve, a Korea-US joint military exercise, and the South delegation refuted their arguments.
Ministry of Unification
