ID :
204375
Tue, 08/30/2011 - 14:11
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/204375
The shortlink copeid
Koreas, Russia to hold talks on gas pipeline project in November
(ATTN: CHANGES slug, headline, lead; UPDATES with planned talks, comments throughout)
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- Working-level officials of the two Koreas and Russia are expected to meet in November to discuss a proposal for the construction of a gas pipeline that would ship Russian natural gas through the Korean Peninsula, the ruling party chief said Tuesday, expressing hope that the joint economic project would help improve soured inter-Korean ties.
Rep. Hong Joon-pyo of the Grand National Party (GNP) unveiled the plan after Russia and North Korea last week made progress on a Russian proposal to ship large amounts of Siberian natural gas to the South via a pipeline to be built across the North.
As Seoul had already made a bilateral agreement with the Kremlin over the project, Hong expressed hope that a trilateral meeting scheduled in November would push forward the lucrative energy project.
"By November, Russia's natural gas will be delivered through a pipeline to (South Korea's) east coastal area via North Korea. Large-scale construction work will begin," Hong said in a party forum. "The project would open a new chapter for inter-Korean relations."
Hong did not specify who will participate in the negotiation, noting it could be either the government or the state-run Korea Gas Corp.
Once North Korea opens the door, Hong said it could give shape to the long-stalled trans-Siberian railway project, which was initiated by the Kim Dae-jung administration.
If realized, the key project could help ease tensions on the peninsula and bring much-needed hard currency to the impoverished North and bring Asia's fourth-largest economy cheaper imports gas, he added.
But analysts question whether the pipeline will be feasible considering the questionable trustworthiness of the communist regime. Many in the South feel there is a major risk that Pyongyang will shut off the gas pipeline or siphon off gas if relations become difficult.
In light of the progress in inter-Korean business cooperation, Hong said the conservative party should ease its hard-line policy on the North ahead of next year's parliamentary and presidential elections.
"The GNP has been accused of being an anti-unification, warmonger group. But time has come for the party to change direction (toward North Korea)," Hong said. "The party will also look into the problems in the Kaesong Industrial Complex to find ways to revitalize it."
Despite frequent cross-border tensions between the two Koreas, the joint industrial park in the North Korean border city has been in operation since 2004 without any major interruptions.
Seoul's Unification Ministry said Tuesday that this year's first-half output at the Kaesong complex rose 20.2 percent year-on-year to US$192 million.
But a recent survey showed that a considerable number of South Korean companies are not satisfied with working conditions at the complex due to heightened cross-border tensions.
By Kim Eun-jung
SEOUL, Aug. 30 (Yonhap) -- Working-level officials of the two Koreas and Russia are expected to meet in November to discuss a proposal for the construction of a gas pipeline that would ship Russian natural gas through the Korean Peninsula, the ruling party chief said Tuesday, expressing hope that the joint economic project would help improve soured inter-Korean ties.
Rep. Hong Joon-pyo of the Grand National Party (GNP) unveiled the plan after Russia and North Korea last week made progress on a Russian proposal to ship large amounts of Siberian natural gas to the South via a pipeline to be built across the North.
As Seoul had already made a bilateral agreement with the Kremlin over the project, Hong expressed hope that a trilateral meeting scheduled in November would push forward the lucrative energy project.
"By November, Russia's natural gas will be delivered through a pipeline to (South Korea's) east coastal area via North Korea. Large-scale construction work will begin," Hong said in a party forum. "The project would open a new chapter for inter-Korean relations."
Hong did not specify who will participate in the negotiation, noting it could be either the government or the state-run Korea Gas Corp.
Once North Korea opens the door, Hong said it could give shape to the long-stalled trans-Siberian railway project, which was initiated by the Kim Dae-jung administration.
If realized, the key project could help ease tensions on the peninsula and bring much-needed hard currency to the impoverished North and bring Asia's fourth-largest economy cheaper imports gas, he added.
But analysts question whether the pipeline will be feasible considering the questionable trustworthiness of the communist regime. Many in the South feel there is a major risk that Pyongyang will shut off the gas pipeline or siphon off gas if relations become difficult.
In light of the progress in inter-Korean business cooperation, Hong said the conservative party should ease its hard-line policy on the North ahead of next year's parliamentary and presidential elections.
"The GNP has been accused of being an anti-unification, warmonger group. But time has come for the party to change direction (toward North Korea)," Hong said. "The party will also look into the problems in the Kaesong Industrial Complex to find ways to revitalize it."
Despite frequent cross-border tensions between the two Koreas, the joint industrial park in the North Korean border city has been in operation since 2004 without any major interruptions.
Seoul's Unification Ministry said Tuesday that this year's first-half output at the Kaesong complex rose 20.2 percent year-on-year to US$192 million.
But a recent survey showed that a considerable number of South Korean companies are not satisfied with working conditions at the complex due to heightened cross-border tensions.
