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(LEAD) S. Korea helps North update cross-border communication lines
By Kim Hyun
SEOUL, Oct. 28 (Yonhap) -- South Korea sent optical cables and other communication equipment to North Korea on Wednesday, following up on a recent pledge to upgrade phone and fax lines used to approve border crossings.
The 850-million-won (US$714,000) worth of aid was the latest in a series of small-scale assistance Seoul has authorized in recent weeks, shifting from its earlier hard-line policy toward the nuclear-driven neighbor.
"Today and tomorrow, our side will deliver optical cables and other equipment to the North for the renovations on the North's side," Unification Ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung said.
Cables and conduit lines loaded on about 30 trucks were delivered through transit pathways in the east and the west in the morning, he said.
The aid is to modernize North Korea's military communication lines used to issue permission for South Korean citizens traveling to and from the North. Seoul officials said the North's worn-out equipment caused some 30 cases of miscommunication last month alone, causing delays in daily border traffic.
West-side lines are mostly used for those commuting to the South Korean-run industrial complex in the North's border town of Kaesong, and the east-side lines for Hyundai Asan Corp. staff traveling to the Mount Kumgang resort on the east coast. With the mountain tours now suspended, Hyundai keeps a small staff there to upkeep the closed resort facilities.
The lines that will be upgraded are used solely for such inter-Korean communication and have no internal purposes, ministry officials said.
South Korea recently began renovations of its military communication lines, a project that will take about two months.
The two Koreas had reached a tentative agreement to upgrade the communication lines in 2007, but the project was deferred after their relations soured following the inauguration of Seoul's conservative administration last year.
In another batch of small-scale aid, South Korea offered 10,000 tons of corn worth US$33 million, 20 tons of milk powder and some medicine earlier this week. North Korea has yet to accept the offer, but Seoul officials expect Pyongyang to do so.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
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