North, South Korea back off hostilities

Pyongyang expresses regret over deadly blast, Seoul vows to end propaganda campaign

SEOUL— After 40-plus-hours of talks, North and South Korea on Tuesday pulled back from the brink with an accord that allows both sides to save face and avert the bloodshed they’ve been threatening each other with for weeks.

In an artfully crafted, though vague, piece of diplomacy, Pyongyang expressed “regret” over the fact that two South Korean soldiers were maimed in a recent landmine blast. While not an acknowledgement of responsibility, it allows Seoul to say it has received the apology it has demanded.

South Korea, for its part, agreed to halt anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts, which will let the authoritarian North trumpet to its people a propaganda victory over its bitter rival — and put an end to hated loudspeaker messages that outside analysts say could demoralize front-line troops and inspire them to defect.

The agreement is an important first step in easing animosity that has built since South Korea blamed North Korea for the mine explosion at the border earlier this month and restarted the propaganda broadcasts in retaliation. But it’s unclear how long the good mood would continue as overall ties remain strained and many previous co-operation accords and projects remain deadlocked.

“I hope the two sides faithfully implement the agreements and build up (mutual) confidence through a dialogue and co-operation and that it serves as a chance to work out new South-North relations,” chief South Korean negotiator and presidential national security director Kim Kwan-jin said in a televised news conference.

Kim described the North’s expression of “regret” over the fact the mine blast left the two soldiers injured as an apology and said the loudspeaker campaign would end at noon Tuesday unless an “abnormal” event occurs. It was not still clear whether North Korea was now admitting its involvement in the blast.

Pyongyang had denied involvement in the landmine explosions and rejected Seoul’s report that Pyongyang launched an artillery barrage last week. Even as the two countries held talks over the weekend, South Korea’s military said North Korea was moving troops and submarines to the border.