North Korean negotiators failed to show up for scheduled talks with the U.S. at Panmunjeom, Thursday, on repatriating the remains of U.S. soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War, indicating a possible rift between the two countries in ongoing denuclearization talks.
The two sides were supposed to meet at 9 a.m. in the border village, but the North Koreans did not show up, according to officials from the government and the United States Forces Korea (USFK).
The North, instead, reportedly proposed holding general-level military talks with the United Nations Command (UNC) to discuss returning the war remains to the U.S. It is unknown whether the North Korean side gave any prior notification to the USFK about this.
After U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s meeting with North Korean officials in Pyongyang last week, he stated the U.S. and North Korea would hold working-level talks on repatriating the remains, July 12.
U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) director Kelly McKeague stated in an interview with Reuters that the agency is “hopeful these discussions on July 12 will lead to further discussions and negotiations directly with the North Koreans by which we can actually get down to the detailed planning.” DPAA officials were set to attend the talks.
Foreign ministry spokesman Noh Kyu-duk said, “The government hopes the agreements reached between leaders at the North Korea-U.S. summit, including the repatriation of Korean War remains, will be swiftly carried out as a means to fulfill the purpose of complete denuclearization and establishment of a peace system on the Korean Peninsula.”
“North Korea not showing up could be an expression of dissatisfaction toward the U.S. for making excessive demands in the high-level talks last week,” Kyungnam University professor Kim Dong-yub said.
Other speculation is that North Korea was discomforted with the way it was portrayed by the U.S. media _ as trying to make money from the war remains.
While reports stated the return would not involve payment, other than reimbursement for the costs incurred in recovering and repatriating the remains, reference to payments may have displeased Pyongyang.
However, while the North’s attitude may further impede the denuclearization talks, the regime is unlikely to boycott them.
“North Korea would have to deal with the consequences of breaking away from the negotiations if it were to do so, so it is unlikely to make an extreme decision,” Kim said.
Instead, not showing up to the talks could be a strategy to gain the upper hand in denuclearization negotiations.
Meanwhile, it is yet to be seen whether North Korea will show up for the talks a day after the scheduled date.
The USFK sent 100 wooden cases to the truce village of Panmunjeom to receive the remains last month, and also has 158 coffins ready at a base in Pyeongtaek to take the remains back to the U.S.
If the talks do not take place, however, it could lead to a deadlock in denuclearization negotiations.
At high-level talks last week, North Korea and the U.S. confirmed they are still poles apart on the next steps to be taken in the process.
“Repatriation of U.S. remains from North Korea will be important not just to American families, but to building trust between the U.S. and North Korea as well,” Pompeo said earlier this week.
