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The Koreas resume talks

North and South Korea have gone from a chilling standoff, to the start of talks that could mean a thaw with plans for the first senior government talks in six long years. All of this comes just as the Presidents of the United States and China wrapped up their own weekend meetings promising greater cooperation. Today, we're asking about the...
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North and South Korea have gone from a chilling standoff, to the start of talks that could mean a thaw with plans for the first senior government talks in six long years. All of this comes just as the Presidents of the United States and China wrapped up their own weekend meetings promising greater cooperation. Today, we're asking about the future of the two Koreas when the biggest players outside their borders aren't interested in a fight.


Freelance Reporter Jason Strother

The two Koreas are now on speaking terms, after months of frosty relations.

News of a thaw circulated mid-week and by Friday a hotline between the two countries was restored -- and used to firm up plans for the weekend talks.Those negotiations were aimed at finding common ground to reopen a jointly-run industrial zone, which shut down a month ago amid rising tensions.

An even more important session is scheduled for Wednesday, it will be the first high-level meeting between the two nations in six years.

It's quite an about-face for North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, who has threatened South Korea and the US with nuclear havoc -- all the while conducting missile tests.

For the latest we were joined by freelance reporter Jason Strother in Seoul, South Korea.


Former Member of the European Parliament, Glyn Ford

After the months of fiery rhetoric from Pyongyang, plans for any talks may seem incomprehensible. But our next guest says he isn't necessarily surprised by the renewed dialogue.

Glyn Ford is a former member of the European Parliament. He has worked extensively on North Korea and is the author of North Korea on the Brink. Glyn Ford was in Brussels.


Han Voice, Jack Kim

There's clearly much at stake in these initial talks -- but for Koreans, a renewed relationship offers renewed hope; hope that they may one day be reunited with family on the "other side" or meet long-lost relatives for the first time.

Our next guest can relate. Jack Kim is the founding member of Han Voice, an organization that advocates on behalf of North Korean refugees. His own family was separated by the border. Jack Kim was in our Toronto studio.


This segment was produced by The Current's Lara O'Brien and Catherine Kalbfleisch.

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