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The Relationship between South and North Korea in 1980's |
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Preliminary Meetings of Officials for a Prime Ministers' Conference (1st-10th, 1980.1.24-8.20) |
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North Korea suggested a prime ministers' conference in the letter to the Prime Minister, Hyeonkwak Shin. The date was set on January 24th by south Korea's request, and the place was to be at Panmunjeom as north Korea suggested. Thereafter, ten preliminary meetings of representatives were held until August 20th, 1980. However, on September 24th, two days before the 11th preliminary meeting, north Korea unilaterally declared that they would discontinue the meetings and cut the hotline between south and north Korea. |
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Sports Conference (1-3th,1984.4.9-5.25) |
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The tension between south and north Korea was at the highest peak at the end of 1983 due to some incidents such as Myanmar Terrors by north Korea. In this situation, north Korea suggested that south and north organize joint-teams for Olympics, Asian Games, and other world sports championships, and also hold meeting to discuss details at Panmunjeom. As a result, they held three meetings from April 9th, 1984, to May 25th, but they could not reach any agreement. |
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Lausanne Sports Conference (1st-4th, 1985.10.8-1987.7.14) |
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In September, 1981, it was decided that 24th Olympics was to be held in Seoul in the 84th World IOC Conference. North Korea, however, strongly opposed to this claiming that it would worsen the situation in the Korean peninsula, and it doesn't match with the principles of Olympics. In this situation, Samaranch, the chairman of IOC, suggested that south and north Korea have s sports conference held with IOC's mediation. Korea Olympics Committee (KOC), of south Korea, accepted this suggestion on the ground that the decision to hold Olympics in Seoul should be respected and shall not be overruled. However, north Korea insisted that they jointly old Olympics in south and north Korea. As a result, the conference couldn't produce any result in spite of IOC's mediation. |
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Red Cross Conferences for the Delivery of Relief Goods (1984.9.18,Panmunjeom) |
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North Korea announced in the letter from the north Korean Red Cross to the south Korean Red Cross that they would deliver relief for the damages inflicted from concentrated rain and requested for cooperation of south Korean Red Cross for efficient and prompt delivery. The relief goods included 50,000 bags of rice, 500,000 meters of cloth, 100,000 tons of cement, and other medical supplies. On September 14th, the south Korean Red Cross accepted this offer, in order for a progress in the relationship between south and north Korea, and announced that they would like to hold a conference to discuss specific details of the delivery as soon as possible. The conferences to discuss the details of the delivery was held at Panmunjeom on September 18th, and north Korea announced that they would deliver the relief goods as discussed in the conference. As south Korean Red Cross accepted it, the delivery was made from September 29th to October 4th, 1984. |
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Exchange of Separated Families and Art Performance (1985.9.20-22) |
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As agreed in the 8th South and North Korea Red Cross conference, a meeting was held to discuss the details about exchanging visitors to hometowns and art performance at Sheraton Walker Hill Hotel, Seoul, on May 29th and 30th, 1985. Both sides agreed that they would exchange visitors and art performance as of August 15th, 1985, and would hold a meeting again on July 15th to discuss specific details of these matters at Panmunjeom. South and north Korea agreed on exchange date to be during September 20th and 23rd, 1985, and the place to be Seoul and Pyongyang. At nine thirty am, September 20th of 1985, visitors and art performers of south and north Korea were exchanged simultaneously between the two. It was the first time in 40 years since the division of the country that separated families in two Koreas had an opportunity to meet their lost families. Art performance was held at Pyongyang Grand Theatre by south, and at Seoul National Theatre by north during September 21st and 22nd. |
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Economic Conference (1984.11.15-1985.11.20) |
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On October 12th, 1984, Byeonghyeon Shin, a deputy prime minister and a secretary of Ministry of Economic Planning of south Korea, sent a letter to Yeonglim Choi, a deputy prime minister of north Korea, suggesting that they establish a committee for economic cooperation and hold a meeting to discuss details. This committee would promote trades and economic cooperation between south and north Korea. On October 16th, 1984, north Korea agreed to hold a meeting, and it was the first meeting, in 40 years since the division, regarding economic matters. The economic conferences were held five times from November 15th, 1984, to November 20th, 1985, but they couldn't come to any agreements. |
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