North and South Korea are to take a step forward for reconciliation with the delegates from both the sides scheduled to meet today while putting aside the shackles of soured relations and the bitter memories of war that resulted in panic for both the countries.
The rapprochement though started on May 17 when the North and South Korea created hallmark in the history for the first time since 1950-53 when a pair of train from both sides passed the border shedding aside the legacy of the Cold War era.
The peace and reconciliation process halted last year and the relations soured with N. Korea’s sudden cancellation of test trains and missile as well as nuclear tests in June and October respectively.
Pyongyang, however, didn’t adhered to the IAEA directions to eschew its clandestine nuclear program in return of economic appraisals i.e. US $ 25 million and other material aids. Despite the altercations and looming rifts on the nuclear aspirations and N. Korea’s reluctance and truculence to dismantle its nuclear reactors, S. Korea approved the supply of rice aid worth $170 million and raw materials worth $80 million for N. Korea. S. Korea will start the supply of 400,000 tons of rice in late May.
Similarly, N. Korea test fired the volley of missiles into the Sea of Japan last week that raised the eyebrows of East Asian countries. This has raised the security apprehensions and exacerbated the soured relations between Koreas technically at war.
Lastly, what turns political high stakes and the roll of the dice will take after the meeting is difficult to prognosticate. Crossing of trains and the delegation level meeting between two historically hostile nations has started a new era of peace and stability. It’s a historically important endeavor to sooth the relations and to make the borderline unimportant on the map. Nevertheless, the present developments are just the beginning because lot more remains incomplete to build the confidence and to bring the relations back on the track. Whatsoever the reasons are, the unifying trains and resumption of peace process should not derail and hence strengthen the peace process while bridging the hostile gap forever...hopefully!
Image Credit: English
Source: Reuters
