South, North Korea push ahead with joint ventures despite US complaint

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon shakes hands with his North Korean counterpart Ri Son-gwon after high-level inter-Korean meeting at the truce village of Panmunjom on Oct. 15, 2018. [Photo provided by Korea Pool]

South and North Korea agreed to press ahead with the groundbreaking ceremony to reconnect and modernize railways and roads along the coastlines of both Koreas over the next two months despite questions about the expediency and timing of the ventures amid little tangible steps towards denuclearization.

The agreement was announced in a joint statement on Monday after high-level talks between the South and North in the Peace House of Panmunjom. The talks were a follow-up to agreements reached during the latest summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held in Pyongyang last month.

The two Koreas agreed to break ground on construction to link railways and roads between the two rivals in late November or early December, according to the statement. Joint feasibility studies on field for the railway project would kick off late this month.

Immediately after the announcement, the United States on Monday called for the United Nations’ full enforcement of sanctions on North Korea, insisting that sanctions must remain in place until Pyongyang gives up its nuclear program.

This was not the first time the Trump administration expressed discomfort about the engagement moves between the two Koreas. Whether the plan has approval from the U.N. Command also is questionable. Any crossing in the military border requires endorsement from the U.N. Command under the 1953 armistice. The U.N. Command in August rejected Seoul officials’ request to cross the border for joint railway feasibility study. It remains uncertain whether Seoul has gained prior green light this time.

Regardless of the eagerness from Seoul’s part, there is not much it can do unless sanctions are lifted on international level. After foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha said Seoul was mulling whether to lift its own sanctions imposed since the Cheonan warship sinking in 2010, U.S. President Donald Trump snapped that Seoul could “do nothing” without Washington’s approval.

Separately the two Koreas also agreed at the latest high-level talks to hold a Red Cross meeting in November to discuss ways to help families separated during the 1950-1953 Korean War reunite and hold sports talks within this month to form a united team at upcoming sports events including the 2020 Olympic Games and further to co-host the 2032 Olympic Games.

Senior military officials from both sides also will meet as soon as possible to discuss ways to remove threats of war and end hostility towards lasting peace on the Korean peninsula, it said. Reforestation talks will be held on Oct. 22, and health and medical meeting for disease prevention in late October.

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