| North and South Korean military officials have | | | | Korean, American, Russian, Chinese and Japanese |
| been in face-to-face contact for the first time | | | | diplomats have tried for three years to persuade |
| since Pyongyang's test-firing of missiles last July | | | | Pyongyang to abandon. |
| caused a chill in North-South relations. While the | | | | The South Koreans said they urged the North to |
| one-day meeting ended more than two months | | | | guarantee security for roads and railways joining |
| without dialogue, it left major issues between the | | | | the two halves of the peninsula. Those |
| two countries unresolved. | | | | connections, which cross the heavily fortified DMZ, |
| The meeting took place on the North Korean side | | | | were constructed after a historic 2000 summit |
| of the border village of Panmunjom. The village is | | | | between North Korean leader Kim Jong Il and |
| located in the Demilitarized Zone, which divides the | | | | then-South Korean President Kim Dae-jung led to |
| two countries. | | | | a warming of ties. |
| South Korea's chief delegate to Monday's talks, | | | | Kim Dae-jung had hoped to use the new train to |
| Colonel Moon Sung-mook, says North Korea | | | | make a return visit to the North in June of this |
| requested the dialogue last week. | | | | year, but postponed his plans in June when it |
| Moon says no agreement was made during | | | | appeared that the missile tests were going to |
| Monday's discussions, but called it positive that | | | | take place. |
| dialogue has been restarted. | | | | The North Korean delegation called for the South |
| Military talks between the two Koreas have been | | | | to honor a 2004 commitment to prevent the |
| on hold since July 7, when South Korea canceled a | | | | issuing of propaganda near the DMZ. Private |
| scheduled meeting in protest of the North's missile | | | | South Korean groups have tried on several |
| tests two days earlier. | | | | occasions to float balloons over the border with |
| Despite advance warnings against the launch from | | | | messages criticizing the Kim Jong Il regime's |
| many quarters, including Washington and Seoul, | | | | human-rights abuses. |
| Pyongyang test-fired at least seven missiles on | | | | The talks produced no progress in resolving a |
| July 5th, including one long-range version designed | | | | disagreement over the countries' western |
| to reach the United States. | | | | maritime border, drawn by the United Nations |
| The launch led to a U.N. Security Council resolution | | | | after the Korean armistice was signed in 1953. |
| condemning the tests, and calling for economic | | | | The North refuses to recognize the border, and |
| sanctions against the North. | | | | the two countries have fought several deadly |
| According to the South Korean delegation, | | | | naval battles in the area. |
| Monday's talks did not address North Korea's | | | | No further North-South military talks have been |
| development of nuclear weapons, which South | | | | scheduled. |