Seoul - North Korea postponed for undisclosed reasons the first planned cooperation talks with South Korea this year, the South Korean Unification Ministry in Seoul reported Monday. According to the report, the North Koreans said certain things had still to be prepared.
Both sides were due to meet Tuesday and Wednesday to discuss repairs to a North Korean section of the border-crossing railway, as well as the joint transport of fans by train to support both Korean teams for the summer Olympic Games in Beijing.
In some South Korean media, it was speculated that the cancellation was connected to the announcement by the team of South Korean president-elect Lee Myung-Bak that some inter-Korean cooperation projects would be reviewed.
The team in the past week also reported that they want to close the Unification Ministry, responsible for inter-Korean relations, as part of government reorganization.
Lee, a conservative opposition politician who won a clear victory in December presidential elections, is to be inaugurated on February 25. Lee's election means the end of 10 years of government under liberal presidents who consistently followed reconciliation policies with Communist North Korea.
