Two Koreas Delay Plans for Repatriation Project

The two Koreas are delaying plans to notify each other of the members of a taskforce that will engage in the upcoming inter-Korean repatriation of war remains in the border area.

Under the inter-Korean Comprehensive Military Agreement (CMA), the two Koreas reached a consensus to establish the bilateral team and exchange lists of members by the end of last month.

This is the first time Seoul and Pyongyang have failed to fulfill a part of the military agreement. The agreement was reached during the latest inter-Korean summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un last September. At that time, the two Koreas agreed to form the team consisting of 80 to 100 officials on each side.

The South's defense ministry said it is still in talks with the North to exchange the lists.

"We are negotiating with the North, and the defense ministry believes there will not be any big stumbling blocks for the two Koreas to start the joint repatriation project as scheduled from the beginning of April upon finishing exchanging the list," defense ministry spokeswoman Choi Hyun-soo said Monday.

She said the ministry does not take the delay seriously, and expects the two Koreas to resolve the issue soon.

Seoul and Pyongyang agreed to start the joint war remains repatriation project in April in Arrow Hill, an upland area in Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, according to the CMA.

As part of preparation for the project, the two Koreas finished clearing landmines and explosives there last year. The South uncovered and excavated the war remains of 13 people while carrying out the activities.

The joint project was arranged as part of inter-Korean efforts to ease military tension and...