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North Korea storms out of military talks over sea border

North Korea stormed out of military talks yesterday with South Korea, mocking the other side and ending three days of high-level negotiations with no agreement because of a lingering dispute over their sea border.

"We've come to the conclusion that we don't need these fruitless talks any more," North Korean chief delegate Lieutenant General Kim Yong-chol said at the final negotiating session in the truce village of Panmunjom on the de facto border between the two countries.

Kim criticized the South for avoiding discussions of what he termed the "illegal" sea border. The frontier was drawn by the UN at the end of the 1950 to 1953 Korean War, and Seoul has repeatedly rejected the North's demands that it be changed.

The issue has been a constant obstacle at military talks between the sides, and the disputed waters that contain rich fishing grounds were the scene of deadly battles in 1999 and 2002.

South Korea's chief envoy, Major General Jung Seung-jo, told Kim it was "highly regrettable" that the negotiations would end without results.

"Your side continued making this demand even though your side knows very well that our side cannot accept it," Jung said, referring to the border issue.

The generals from the North and South left the room after the 40-minute session without shaking hands or setting any date for a next meeting -- with Kim appearing red-faced and visibly angry.

The South had called for the two sides to at least reach consensus on less controversial issues, such as opening a hotline between navy commanders to prevent future clashes off the peninsula's western coast.

A baby "should learn how to walk first before it starts running," Jung said. "We must start with small and easy steps rather than venture to take big steps."

"Throughout the past few days, I feel as if I had become a victim of April Fool's Day jokes," Kim said.

South Korea's attitude, he said, reminded him of "Aesop's fable" about a liar.
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