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| North and South Korea Agree to First Official Dialogue in Years | North and South Korea Agree to First Official Dialogue in Years |
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| SEOUL, South Korea — North and South Korea agreed Thursday to hold their first government dialogue in years, an abrupt change after tensions over the North’s nuclear program this year escalated into one of the divided peninsula’s worst crises. | SEOUL, South Korea — North and South Korea agreed Thursday to hold their first government dialogue in years, an abrupt change after tensions over the North’s nuclear program this year escalated into one of the divided peninsula’s worst crises. |
| The announcement raised hopes that the two countries were moving toward a thaw in relations after a prolonged standoff in recent years that included military provocations from the North and retaliatory economic penalties from the South. | The announcement raised hopes that the two countries were moving toward a thaw in relations after a prolonged standoff in recent years that included military provocations from the North and retaliatory economic penalties from the South. |
| The agreement came after North Korea made a surprise overture on Thursday, proposing official negotiations with the South on reopening two shuttered joint economic projects, including the recently closed Kaesong industrial park, as well as humanitarian programs. South Korea, which has demanded such talks in recent months, quickly accepted the offer, proposing a cabinet minister-level meeting in the South Korean capital, Seoul, next Wednesday. | The agreement came after North Korea made a surprise overture on Thursday, proposing official negotiations with the South on reopening two shuttered joint economic projects, including the recently closed Kaesong industrial park, as well as humanitarian programs. South Korea, which has demanded such talks in recent months, quickly accepted the offer, proposing a cabinet minister-level meeting in the South Korean capital, Seoul, next Wednesday. |
| North Korea on Friday welcomed the quick response from the South and proposed working-level talks in Kaesong on Sunday to prepare for the proposed cabinet-level meeting. It also said it was restoring cross-border communications lines it had cut off earlier this year out of anger over joint United States-South Korean military drills. | |
| The sudden change comes a day before President Obama’s scheduled meeting in California with President Xi Jinping of China, North Korea’s main ally. The North’s recent belligerence — including threats of nuclear attacks if provoked — was expected to be a main topic of discussion. | The sudden change comes a day before President Obama’s scheduled meeting in California with President Xi Jinping of China, North Korea’s main ally. The North’s recent belligerence — including threats of nuclear attacks if provoked — was expected to be a main topic of discussion. |
| Last month, Mr. Xi told a high-level North Korean envoy visiting Beijing that the North needed to return to international talks aimed at ending its nuclear program, which is becoming increasingly sophisticated and dangerous. Analysts on Thursday cast the North’s latest move as a possible political gambit to ensure its benefactors in China do not bond with Mr. Obama over North Korea’s defiance. | Last month, Mr. Xi told a high-level North Korean envoy visiting Beijing that the North needed to return to international talks aimed at ending its nuclear program, which is becoming increasingly sophisticated and dangerous. Analysts on Thursday cast the North’s latest move as a possible political gambit to ensure its benefactors in China do not bond with Mr. Obama over North Korea’s defiance. |
| “It is trying to shift the international focus from applying sanctions and pressure on the North to starting dialogue with it,” said Koh Yu-hwan, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University in Seoul. | “It is trying to shift the international focus from applying sanctions and pressure on the North to starting dialogue with it,” said Koh Yu-hwan, a professor of North Korean studies at Dongguk University in Seoul. |
| The Chinese, who have grown increasingly frustrated with their recalcitrant ally, not only backed United Nations sanctions over the North’s nuclear test in February, they have also taken public steps to confront North Korea including ordering the Bank of China to stop dealing with the North’s largest foreign-exchange bank. | The Chinese, who have grown increasingly frustrated with their recalcitrant ally, not only backed United Nations sanctions over the North’s nuclear test in February, they have also taken public steps to confront North Korea including ordering the Bank of China to stop dealing with the North’s largest foreign-exchange bank. |
| Analysts suggested that another motivation in trying to reopen the joint ventures with South Korea is to generate badly needed revenue. Kaesong’s factories, which paired North Korean workers with South Korean capital and management, alone generated $90 million in hard currency each year for its workers; experts say the state took much of that money. | Analysts suggested that another motivation in trying to reopen the joint ventures with South Korea is to generate badly needed revenue. Kaesong’s factories, which paired North Korean workers with South Korean capital and management, alone generated $90 million in hard currency each year for its workers; experts say the state took much of that money. |
| The eight-year-old complex, the last symbol of inter-Korean cooperation from years of warmer relations, was closed after North Korea pulled out all its 53,000 workers in April amid the latest crisis. | The eight-year-old complex, the last symbol of inter-Korean cooperation from years of warmer relations, was closed after North Korea pulled out all its 53,000 workers in April amid the latest crisis. |
| The overtures on Thursday and Friday were among the few conciliatory moves made by North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, who has made his mark during a year and a half in power by defying the United States and South Korea. | The overtures on Thursday and Friday were among the few conciliatory moves made by North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, who has made his mark during a year and a half in power by defying the United States and South Korea. |
| The Obama administration said it welcomed news of the North-South dialogue. “We support, and have always supported, improved inter-Korean relationship, and we will continue our close coordination with our allies and partners in the region,” the State Department’s spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said. Still, the overtures could complicate American strategy, which has been hard-line and focused on economic punishments to force the North to make real concessions on its nuclear program. | The Obama administration said it welcomed news of the North-South dialogue. “We support, and have always supported, improved inter-Korean relationship, and we will continue our close coordination with our allies and partners in the region,” the State Department’s spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said. Still, the overtures could complicate American strategy, which has been hard-line and focused on economic punishments to force the North to make real concessions on its nuclear program. |
| North Korea also proposed resuming cross-border tours from South Korea to a North Korean mountain resort that were suspended after North Korean soldiers fatally shot a tourist from the South in 2008, and reviving programs for arranging the temporary reunions of Korean families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. | |
| Until Thursday, North Korea had rejected the South’s repeated call for official dialogue to discuss the fate of the Kaesong park. | Until Thursday, North Korea had rejected the South’s repeated call for official dialogue to discuss the fate of the Kaesong park. |
| “We hope the government-to-government talks will become an opportunity to build trust between the South and North,” the South’s Unification Ministry said in a statement. | “We hope the government-to-government talks will become an opportunity to build trust between the South and North,” the South’s Unification Ministry said in a statement. |
| North Korea’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, meanwhile, said, “Our position has been consistent for promoting the reconciliation and solidarity of the nation and achieving reunification and peaceful prosperity.” It added, “The South’s authorities should not miss this opportunity if they really want to build trust and improve North-South relations.” | North Korea’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, meanwhile, said, “Our position has been consistent for promoting the reconciliation and solidarity of the nation and achieving reunification and peaceful prosperity.” It added, “The South’s authorities should not miss this opportunity if they really want to build trust and improve North-South relations.” |
| The North, analysts said, appears to be seeking a return to the level of inter-Korean economic cooperation that had prevailed on the peninsula for a decade until 2008. They said that the North Korean proposal could force the South Korean president, Park Geun-hye, a conservative, to decide whether to revive the inter-Korean projects without any progress in denuclearizing North Korea. In a speech on Thursday, Ms. Park, who is slated to meet Mr. Xi late this month, reiterated her stance that North Korea must give up its nuclear weapons to open the way for the international community to ease sanctions and help with its economy. | |
| Some analysts were skeptical of any long-term change. “There is no fundamental change in their positions,” said Dong Yong-seung, a North Korea specialist at the Samsung Economic Research Institute. “Denuclearization remains a stumbling block.” | Some analysts were skeptical of any long-term change. “There is no fundamental change in their positions,” said Dong Yong-seung, a North Korea specialist at the Samsung Economic Research Institute. “Denuclearization remains a stumbling block.” |
| The Obama administration has been leery of returning to the international talks the Chinese are pushing again; in the past, the North moved ahead with its nuclear programs despite talks and considerable investment from South Korea. Washington has also said it wants North Korea to improve ties with South Korea first, before reviving the international talks that involve six countries. | The Obama administration has been leery of returning to the international talks the Chinese are pushing again; in the past, the North moved ahead with its nuclear programs despite talks and considerable investment from South Korea. Washington has also said it wants North Korea to improve ties with South Korea first, before reviving the international talks that involve six countries. |
| The proposal by North Korea indicated that it was meeting at least part of Washington’s demands. | The proposal by North Korea indicated that it was meeting at least part of Washington’s demands. |
Mark Landler contributed reporting from Washington. | Mark Landler contributed reporting from Washington. |