South, North Korea seek unity in condemning terror

SEOUL, South Korea -- Though divided by a sealed border and a half-century of conflict, South and North Korea were united Saturday in their condemnation of the terrorist acts in the United States.

However, years of conflicts prevented them from making a joint statement at the start of their talks.

Arriving in Seoul, a top North Korean envoy said the attacks at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were "shocking" and "very regrettable."

The comments by Kim Ryong Song were an unusual show of sympathy from a communist country that has considered the United States its chief enemy ever since the 1950-53 Korean War.

North Korea has been campaigning to get off a U.S. list of nations that sponsor terrorism, which accords a pariah status to the North and prevents it from receiving some international aid.

Kim, a senior councilor in North Korea's Cabinet, and 26 other delegates traveled from Pyongyang via Beijing for four days of talks aimed at reviving reconciliation on the Korean peninsula.

Officials contacts broke down six months ago because of tension between the North and the United States, the South's main ally.

Kim discussed the attacks in the United States with South Korean officials.

"It is a shocking incident which we think is very regrettable," he said. "I think the incident will have nothing to do with the South-North talks, which are supposed to handle internal national issues."

Hosting a dinner for the North Korean delegation, South Korean Prime Minister Lee Han-dong said: "Countries of the world must participate in efforts to root out antihuman and anti-civilization terrorism that kills innocent people."

On Saturday, the North's media repeated a demand that Washington withdraw 37,000 troops that it keeps in South Korea as a deterrent against the North.

Earlier, South Korea's main opposition party rejected a proposal by President Kim Dae-jung that negotiators from the two Koreas adopt a joint statement against terrorism because of the recent attacks.

The Grand National Party said North Korea should first apologize for alleged terrorist acts against the South, including the 1987 bombing of a Korean Air jet near Myanmar that killed all 115 people on board.

"If there is no guarantee of changes in North Korea's attitude and policy, the anti-terrorist statement would end up indulging the North," said Kwon Chul-hyon, a party spokesman.

Kim Ryong Song, the North Korean delegate, said the talks in Seoul would mark a "turning point" in inter-Korean ties.

"Our delegation members want to commit ourselves to do our best to yield excellent results," he said.

Kim Dae-jung flew to Pyongyang last year for an unprecedented summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. The meeting led to a series of conciliatory gestures, including three temporary reunions of relatives who had been separated before or during the Korean War.