Seoul and Pyongyang agreed to resume their first official talks in several years on commercial and humanitarian issues on Thursday, sending a positive signal about their strained relationship, observers said.

But they warned that further proof of Pyongyang's sincerity is needed.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea proposed discussions on reopening the Kaesong Industrial Complex and resuming cross-border tours to the DPRK's Mount Kumgang resort, AFP reported, citing the DPRK's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea.

Humanitarian issues such as reuniting family members separated after the 1950-53 Korean War could also be discussed, said the committee, adding that the venue and date for talks can be set at the convenience of Seoul.

The ROK's Unification Ministry, which is in charge of communication issues with the DPRK, replied within hours, saying it viewed Pyongyang's proposal "positively" and would announce a date, venue and agenda later.

The ministry added that it hoped the ROK and the DPRK "can build trust through this opportunity".

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a news briefing on Thursday that Beijing welcomes the agreement reached between Seoul and Pyongyang. Beijing has always supported them solving their dispute through political dialogues.

China hopes that all relevant parties can value the hard-won dialogue momentum, positively turn the situation around and be jointly committed to peace and stability on the peninsula, the spokesman added.

Good opportunity

The possible official meeting between Seoul and Pyongyang will offer a good opportunity to ease the tension between the two countries, said Huang Youfu, a professor of Korean studies at Minzu University of China.

If everything goes smoothly at the meeting, it can help create a favorable atmosphere to solve Pyongyang's nuclear issue, Huang said.

He added the issues of the Kaesong joint industrial zone and the Mount Kumgang resort are practical and easier to solve, because both the ROK and the DPRK have the willingness to do so.

The ROK had proposed to discuss the issue of the Kaesong joint industrial zone in May, but failed to receive any positive reply from the DPRK at that time.

"It shows that the DPRK wants to seize the initiative in the talks with the ROK, but whether it really wants to hold a sincere dialogue is still to be seen," said Wang Fan, a professor of DPRK studies at China Foreign Affairs University.

"The DPRK's proposal indicates it is changing its strong words into a soft tune, because it has realized that a hard stance has only brought more difficulties and made Pyongyang more isolated in the world," he said.

"Pyongyang has typically swung between hard and soft positions in the past," said Wang, urging the DPRK to show more consistency on its stance, so that it can win more trust from the international community.

How Pyongyang handles its nuclear policy will be influenced by the possible resumption of communications, he added.

While ROK President Park Geun-hye has made it clear - with United States backing - that substantive talks would require the DPRK to show its commitment to abandoning its nuclear project, Pyongyang has repeatedly insisted that its nuclear deterrent is not up for negotiation.

Official contacts between Seoul and Pyongyang have been frozen since the ROK accused the DPRK of torpedoing one of its warships in March 2010, which claimed 46 lives. Angered by joint ROK-US military drills and UN sanctions imposed after its nuclear test in February, the DPRK threatened the two countries with nuclear attacks, pushing tensions on the peninsula to worrying levels in April and May.

Operations at the Kaesong complex, which was established inside the DPRK in 2004, were suspended after Pyongyang pulled all its 53,000 workers out in early April.

zhouwa@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 06/07/2013 page11)