Awesome Guy Kershaw

We exist to encourage people to use whatever God-given passion, purpose or talent they have been given to make a difference and give back to others in need.

Kershaw’s Challenge is a Christ-centered, others-focused organization. The essence of Kershaw’s Challenge is that the better you do, the more you give, making whatever you do about something more. We exist to encourage people to use whatever God-given passion, purpose or talent they have been given to make a difference and give back to others in need. Our Challenge is to use a sphere of influence to positively impact communities in need and to expand God’s Kingdom. We believe in the transformation of at-risk children and communities through the benevolence and impact of others.

Kershaw’s Challenge began with a little girl named Hope, a very evident need in her life, and the realization of a platform to do great things.

Hope is now 13 years old. She was born in Lusaka, Zambia, and has battled the HIV epidemic her entire life. Ellen Kershaw met her when Hope was 9 years old. At the time, Hope was a vulnerable orphan, sick and malnourished, and had already learned to survive on her own for years. She was timid and distant from a lifetime of building up walls towards anyone who might hurt her.

Ellen & Hope instantly connected. By the end of Ellen’s time in Zambia, they were inseparable. Ellen saw her walls slowly come down, and a vulnerable and scared child hiding behind her clouded, brown eyes. Ellen & Clayton committed that summer in 2010 to make life better for this child. They sponsored her so that she would have school fees paid for, a nutritional meal provided daily, and a discipleship program that would mentor her in her walk with Christ.

In December of 2010, only a few months after Ellen met Hope, Clayton traveled to Zambia for the first time to experience Ellen’s passion for these children. Together, Ellen and Clayton walked through the compounds of Lusaka, looking for familiar faces, and praying they would be able to find Hope. After years of seeing pictures and hearing stories from Ellen’s trip, Clayton was in disbelief seeing the depth of poverty that these people live in. They turned the corner, and heard a squeal. All the sudden, a flying little girl leaped into the arms of Ellen—they were finally reunited. Hope met Clayton and it was if they had known each other for a lifetime. They spent the afternoon with Hope, hearing about her past few months. No doubt, Hope looked healthier. She had been fed; therefore, her HIV medication was starting to work.

Hope still needed a safe place to call home. She was living with her aunt who was already feeding and caring for many other children in a tiny, dirt-floor shack. Hope was neglected and just trying to survive. Clayton & Ellen realized that until she had a safe place to call home, and parents who would care for her, Hope would never be able to have the upbringing she deserved. This is how Kershaw’s Challenge began.

Hope has a story similar to millions of children in Africa. She is a strong, smart, and funny girl who deserves to be loved, cared for, and empowered. Coming home, Clayton & Ellen had the vision of building a home for Hope and children just like her. Clayton came up with the idea of “Striking Out to Serve.” He knows his ability to throw a baseball is God-given, and the platform he has been blessed with needs to be used to glorify the Lord. Kershaw’s Challenge began in 2011.

The “Challenge” is to use whatever you have been blessed with—talent, passion, or purpose—to give back to others. In 2012, Kershaw’s Challenge expanded to serve children’s charities in Los Angeles and Dallas. The Kershaws are adamant about serving hands-on throughout the year, and being invested in the non-profits we partner with.

In December of 2012, the first 8 kids, including Hope, moved into Arise Home. For the first time, they have beds to sleep in, a loving family of brothers and sisters, nurturing house mothers who tuck them in at night, full bellies everyday, and a private school education.

Kershaw’s Challenge is committed to transforming the lives of children, in America and Africa, through Jesus Christ. Our goal is to partner with organizations that are committed to this as well, and work alongside them on specific projects to make life better for kids.

© 2012 KERSHAW'S CHALLENGE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. SITE BY PTD. CONTACT US.

Jackie Robinson Day

I don't know much about baseball but these days, I get interested in MLB. Since baseball in America has a long history - in 1869, the first professional baseball team Cincinnati Red Stockings was established -, there are many different kinds of interesting (hi)stories in MLB world. 


In Major League Baseball, 4.15 is called Jackie Robinson Day, the first African American major leaguer in MLB history. He started his career in Brooklyn Dodgers in April 15, 1947. He had not only a racial impact but also exceptional career and was inducted into the baseball hall of fame in 1962. In 1997, MLB decided to retired his uniform number 42 and since 2004, Jackie Robinson Day was adopted as a new tradition in MLB to celebrate him. (Mariano Rivera in NY Yankees is the only player left with number 42 on his back.)


On the day, all players wear uniforms with back number 42.

ⓒ MLB.com

This is Jackie Robinson. 

ⓒ wikipedia.com

Google logo on Jackie Robinson Day.

ⓒ mlb.com

One of my worries

Am I too anxious? The article below is about Mt. Baekdu's eruptions and my ominous worry is that the North Korea's nuclear test might impinge on its explosion.

Read this article below and it's from Korea times, posted on 2012.5.3. Isn't it scary? The eruption of Mt. Baekdu must be a horrendous environmental disaster in this century.

Mt. Baekdu eruption's impact on NE Asia (25) Citing the rise of the surface temperature of Mt. Baekdu, geologists predict its eruption in a couple of years. / Korea Times file Mt. Baekdu has been carefully observed since 1999 when a volcanic observatory was built in China, and since 2002, there have been some symptoms of an eruption. By Park Chang-seok Yes, one! There’s only one thing about which they think in a same way – a concern about possible eruption of Mt. Baekdu. The two Koreas remain at odds in everything. But they are one in voicing how to counter the possible volcanic explosion of the highest mountain in the Korean Peninsula Inter-Korean anxiety is mounting, with growing apocalyptic predictions on the dormant volcano. A South Korean geological expert has warned that the volcano could erupt sometime around 2014 and 2015. Former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il reportedly said people in some regions of Yanggang and North Hamgyeong Provinces were feeling anxiety over a volcanic eruption of Mt. Baekdu. Kim called for quick countermeasures by the North Korean authorities. If a volcano, located on the border between North Korea and China erupts, damage could be 10 to 100 times greater than that caused by the April 2010 eruptions in Iceland. Experts predict that the ashes would not only hit the neighboring area but damage agriculture and cause serious disruptions in industrial activities and air flights. The Korean Peninsula, China, Japan and Russia would be severely damaged. A volcanic eruption begins when pressure on a magma chamber forces magma up through the conduit and out the volcano’s vents. When the magma chamber is completely filled, the type of eruption partly depends on the amount of gas and silica in the magma. The amount of silica determines how sticky (level of viscosity) the magma is and water provides the explosive potential of steam. The 2010 Iceland eruption caused enormous disruption to air travel across Western and Northern Europe, although relatively small in size for volcanic eruptions. About 20 countries closed their airspace and it affected hundreds of thousands of travelers. A very high proportion of flights within, to, and from Europe were cancelled, creating the highest level of air travel disruption since the World War II. Geological studies Fears of a Mt. Baekdu eruption loom large with ensuing warnings based on a series of geological studies from experts. A growing number of scholars have not ruled out the possibility of another eruption, linking the collapse of Korea’s ancient kingdom, Balhae, with the previous one. One theory comes from professor Hiroshi Machida of Tokyo Metropolitan University. Machida first presented a view in 1992 that the eruption of Mt. Baekdu (Mt. Changbai in Chinese) led to the fall of Balhae, which had expanded its sovereignty to the vast Manchuria territory. His theory was based on volcanic ash found in Tomakomai, a port city in southern Hokkaido, in 1981. The ash was named “Baekdu-Tomakomai volcanic ash” (B-Tm) after Mt. Baekdu and Tomakakomi city where it was found, according to So Won-ju who wrote the book “Secret of Mt. Baekdu’s Great Eruption.” Machida’s theory has gained momentum as an increasing number of geologists and climate change researchers have presented views that the ash was produced in the eruption of the highest mountain in the Korean Peninsula in the 10th century. The eruption of the 2,744 meter-high mountain was billed as the largest in the history of mankind and was about 50 times stronger than that of Mt. Vesuvius of Italy in 79 A.D. which led to the burying and destruction of the Roman city Pompeii. Balhae (Bohai in Chinese) was established by Dae Jo-yeong, a former Goguryeo general, in 698 after the fall of Goguryeo. Dae Jo-yeong took the helm of Jin (Zhen in Chinese), founded by his father Dae Jung-sang in 696, and renamed the country Balhae, declaring it as the successor state of Goguryeo (37 B.C. - 668 A.D.). Balhae’s ruin  Balhae occupied the southern parts of Manchuria and Primorsky Krai (now Russia’s Far East), and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. It was defeated by the Khitans in 926, and most of its northern territories were absorbed into the Liao Dynasty, also known as the Khitan Empire, founded in 907 while the southern parts were absorbed into Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392). A dominant view related to Balhae’s decline had been Khitans’ 926 invasion. Some conventional historians believed that the rampancy of ethnic conflicts between the ruling Koreans and underclass Mohe (Malgal) caused its fall. But some refute these allegations, giving more weight on the catastrophic explosion of Mt. Baekdu as a primary cause for Balhae’s ruin rather than Khitans’ attack. Balhae had been engaged in a war with the Khitans for about two weeks and then collapsed immediately. How could Balhae with a long 200-year history fall so easily in such a short period of battle? Some historians raised doubts about the early collapse, pointing to Mt. Baekdu erupting as a cause for Balhae’s ruin. The massive explosion was believed to have created a tremendous amount of volcanic ash, damaging agriculture and even societal integrity. The Khitans were believed to have taken advantage of this natural disaster in putting the volcano-stricken Balhae under their complete control. The eruption might have prevented Balhae survivors from rebuilding their nation in consideration of the catastrophe. A variety of indicators, suggested by geologists and Balhae dynasty researchers who have monitored the change of Baekdu’s geographical features, are backing a scenario of the recurrence of the Mt. Baekdu eruption. Some experts say that an eruption is imminent. Geologist Yoon Sung-hyo at Pusan National University strongly believes Mt. Baekdu could erupt anytime soon.” According to historical records, major activity on the mountain in the 940s created a caldera on its peak, whose circumference is nearly 14 kilometers with an average depth of 213 meters and a maximum of 384 meters. Atop the mountain is Cheonji, literally meaning “heavenly lake,” the largest caldera in the world. Volcanic ash Volcanic ash from Mt. Baekdu eruption has been found as far away as the southern part of Hokkaido, Japan. Geologists predict the occurrence of great Mt. Baekdu eruptions every 1,000 years and that of minor ones every 200 to 300 years. Minor eruptions were recorded in 1413, 1597, 1668 and 1702 with the last activity being recorded in 1903. Among other indicators backing the scenario of a future eruption is the height of Mt. Baekdu, which has grown nearly 10 centimeters since 2002. Experts say an expanding magma pool, a precondition for an eruption, is gradually pushing up the height of the mountain as well as the temperature on the surface. On Oct. 1, 2006, a Russian satellite found the surface temperature of the mountain notably higher than before. The finding came just days after North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test in its northern territory, which could have been a catalyst reactivating magma flows, according to analysts. Mt. Baekdu has been carefully observed since 1999 when a volcanic observatory was built in China, and since 2002, there have been some symptoms of an eruption. Seismic activity near the mountain has increased dramatically, and the concentration of hydrogen and helium emissions, both of which are volcanic gases have risen 10-fold. And there’s ample possibility that Mt. Baekdu may erupt in the near future. If Mt. Baekdu erupts, it would no doubt bring about grave consequences for the two Koreas as well as the surrounding states, including China, Japan and Russia. The biggest immediate threat is the 2 billion tons of water in the lake on top of the crater. An eruption would likely cause severe flood damage, engulfing roads and homes within a 30-kilometer radius in just 3 hours and 20 minutes, a geological report found recently. Mt. Baekdu’s caldera The greatest victim of a Mt. Baekdu explosion may be North Korea, especially Yanggang and Hamgyeong Provinces. The two regions, located on the tip of the Korean Peninsula, may be covered with ash in just two hours. In about eight hours, ash may reach Ulleungdo and Dokdo, two far eastern islands of South Korea, and in 12 hours, land on Tottori Prefecture, Japan. After 18 hours, volcanic ash would likely spread beyond Japan. The National Institute for Disaster Prevention conducted a simulation in 2010 to test how far volcanic ash can spread if Mt. Baekdu erupts. According to the results, the effects can be different depending on the timing. If it happens in winter, Japan is expected to be more affected due to the northwest monsoon. On the other hand, a summer eruption would affect South Korea more. Mt. Baekdu’s caldera has nearly two billion tons of water. If volcanic heat evaporates the water and is mixed suddenly with volcanic ashes, it would be strong enough to engulf even Vladivostok in Russia and Hokkaido in northern Japan, according to experts. The construction of nuclear power plants by North Korea and China in the neighborhood may certainly pose a grave threat to all Northeast Asians, with the view that Mt. Baekdu’s explosion would for sure cause subsequent nuclear catastrophes, as seen in Japan’s 2011 tsunami disaster. A volcanic explosion is the most terrible natural disaster which cannot be easily avoided by human wisdom and knowledge. With unrelenting outbreaks of record-breaking natural disasters around the world and especially in the wake of Japan’s massive earthquake that is now estimated to have killed nearly 10,000, the world’s eyes are drawn to Mt. Baekdu. Multinational and regional cooperative monitoring systems are needed beyond ideological barriers to take preemptive measures against a possible eruption. By all indications, Mt. Baekdu is a real danger and it’s not clear how long it will stay inactive. A Mt. Baekdu eruption, if it takes place, will not be a matter for a certain country but a global concern to determine the future of Northeast Asian civilization. Environment Info Volcanic eruptions An important measure of eruptive strength is the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI), a magnitudic scale ranging from 0 to 8 that often correlates to eruptive types. During a volcanic eruption, lava, tephra (ash, lapilli tuff, volcanic bombs and blocks), and various gases are expelled from a volcanic vent or fissure. Several types of volcanic eruptions have been distinguished by volcanologists. These are often named after famous volcanoes where that type of behavior has been observed. Some volcanoes may exhibit only one characteristic type of eruption during a period of activity, while others may display an entire sequence of types all in one eruptive series. Park Chang-seok is currently a resident research fellow of the Korea Institute of Public Administration (KIPA). Park, a former Korea Times managing editor and a Kyung Hee University media professor, is the author of “The History of Korean English Newspaper” and “News English.” He is the editor of KIPA’s two English books “Korea: From Rags to Riches” and “Discover Korea in Public Administration.”

Korean War should be remembered.

I read an article about a survey. It shows students' distorted perception of the start of the Korean War that had broke out 25th of june 1950~1953.In the poll conducted by a newspaper, 506 high school students were asked whether the war was triggered by 'buk-chim"(invasion by the South) or "nam-chim"(invasion by the North.Of them, 349 students or 69 percent picked "buk-chim", running counter to what they learn in school text books. Such misunderstanding weakens fundamental values and national pride that growing children need to have, and distorts sacrifices of patriots who risked their lives for the country.

 The Department of Defense Korean War 60th Anniversary Committee has opened an online forum for Korean War Veterans and those affected by the war to submit their stories at http://www.koreanwar60.com/webform/share-your-story.It  is such a meaningful try to accumulate all the important, valuable memories and documents about Korean War. 

US Photo Contest to Honor Korean War Veterans

I found a piece of information of photo contest about Korea war. It's hosted by Korea Health Industry Development Institute.(KHIDI, USA) 


Below is the information about the contest from Korean War Veterans Association(kwva.org). 

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New York, N.Y.– The first US nation-wide photo contest entitled “Remembered Moments in Korean War” will be hosted by Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI USA), a Korean government agency in New York, to pay tributes to Korean War veterans. The contest, a part of the 2013 Body & Seoul - Korean War Veterans & Families Health Appreciation Event, is held in partnership with the Korean War Veterans Association (KWVA).

July 7 submission deadline; Winners to receive All-Expenses-Paid VIP Trip to Korea

Open to all US Korean War veterans and their families, the commemorative photo contest marks the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, of which date July 27 was proclaimed by President Barak Obama in 2010 as the National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day.

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If you want to learn more, visit http://kwva.org right now. :-)

I believe Xi, the smart guy.

@ Chappatte in “International Herald Tribune”

First summit talk with President Park Geun-hye and Xi jinping is set for June 27. With this meeting, President Park plans to enlist Beijing's help in pressuring Norh Korea to give up its nuclear programs.

As a key provider of economic aid and diplomatic protection for North Korea, China has long been considered the only country with any meaningful influence over Pyongyang, though it has been reluctant to use that leverage over concern that pushing the North too hard could hurt its national interests.
In recent months, however, China has apparently been taking a tougher approach to Pyonyang especially after the North's long-range rocket launch in December and its third nuclear test in February. Also, in the first summit with U.S. President Obama, Xi Jingping showed a strong agreement on the North Korean nuclear issue. Both leaders delivered a stern message to Pyongyang by declaring that they would not accept the North's posession of nuclear weapons.

The summit between Park and Xi should be the opportunity to further bolster cooperation in making Pyongyang realize that its bad behavior will never be rewarded and it has no other choice but to change course and become a responsible member of the international community.

Xi Jingping, as a very smart guym remembers his statements on the talk with Obama, and will force Pyongyang to give up its nuclear ambitions and closely cooperate with Korea to achive denuclearization of North Korea. He definitely knows what's right and it's time to gether up the North's reins.
 

Inter-Korean talks is expected

Inter-Korean relations are taking a conciliatory turn after months of heightened tension following North Korea's launch of a long-range rocket in December and third nuclear test in February.
With the North's first propose, two sides hold ministerial-level talks in Seoul on June 12 to discuss diverse pending issues, such as normalization of the suspended Gaeseong industrial complex and Mt.Geumgang tours.

Yes, this talk definitely will ease tension on the Korean Peninsula. Yet, it is premature to expect any breakthrough in cross-border relations.


First of all, resuming operation of Gaeseong complex could prove harder than it sounds. It was suspended two months ago following the North's unilateral withdrawal of its workers. Now North Korea wants to talk about reopening the complex. However, Seoul cannot and should not reopen the complex as if nothing has happened. North Korea should clarify that they will compensate for the losses sustained by the South Korean companies. More importantly, Pyongyang has to equip strong assurances that it will abide by inter-Korean agreements and never again disrupt the operation of the complex.


In addition, Pyongyang offer guarantees for the safety of tourist to the scenic mountain resort. The reason why Mt.Geumgang tours was suspended is that in July 2008, a 53-year-old housewife as the civilian tourist to Mt.Geumgang, got shot and killed by a North Korean soldier while she was walking around the resort area. South Korea government urged the North to cooperate in the investigation the North refused and blamed Seoul for tourist' shooting death.

Also, Pyongyang's proposal has no mention of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, still less the abandonment of its nuclear weapons. This shows that the North has no willingness to change course. Unless North Korea decides to renounce its nuclear programs, a genuin reconciliation cannot be expected.


North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has repeatedly vowed to persue a two-track strategy-promoting economic development and bolstering its nuclear arsenal simutaneously. This is however, a non-starter.

We have to keep in mind that the North's motivations behind the latest conciliatory gesture is probably the dictator's desire to prop it up with money from Seoul and to find a way to avoid sanction from International Society after the notorious third nuclear test.

 

We must not forget!

Ms. Park Killed by Garrison Unit, Not Infantry

By Park In Ho [2008-07-15 18:33 ]

The North Korean soldier who shot the late Park Wang Ja was not a regular infantryman, who watches over military facilities, but it is highly possible that he belonged to the "Mt. Geumgang Garrison," a group made up of soldiers transferred from the “Civilian Affairs Administrative Police Unit." Joo Sung Il, Chairman of the Baekdu Halla Association, a young defectors organization based in Seoul, who defected over the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in 2002 while working in the No. 2 Army Corps of the Civilian Police Unit, maintained in a phone conversation with the Daily NK, "According to the testimony of witness Lee Ihn Bok (23), three soldiers jumped out of the woods after the shooting of Park and they were most likely not infantrymen of the military facility close by, as insisted by the North." Chairman Joo explained that North Korea's “Mt. Geumgang Garrison" holds power transferred from nine Civilian Police Units. Accordingly, the Mt. Geumgang Garrison has the same operational principles as the Civilian Police Unit." The Civilian Police Unit is the corps which guards the border within the DMZ. According to the Korean War Armistice Agreement, the civilian police have to take responsibility for guarding the DMZ. The members of this unit are as professional as well-trained Special Forces, unlike South Korean military in guard posts. North Korea, immediately before the start of the Mt. Geumgang tours, organized the “Mt. Geumgang Garrison” with soldiers transferred from the People's Army Infantry Company. However, when the rumors about their violence or giving and receiving money started to circulate, soldiers were transferred from the “border battalion” in the North Korea-China border region. Subsequently, the Civilian Police Unit transferred its employees and formed the current “Mt. Geumgang Garrison." According to the explanation of Chairman Joo, Park did not climb over the 1.5m high sand mound which demarcated the military restricted area by the beach on the early morning of the 11th nor was shot by an infantryman located approximately 1km from the North Korean checkpoint, but it is highly possible that she was shot by the garrison unit which lies waiting overnight at a mid point. He pointed out, "A Civilian Police Unit is not formed for defense, so in the case of an emergency, for an immediate response, the smallest battle unit of three people each is formed... Lying in ambush or for inspections also operates three people to one group; however this is not just an average infantry unit; it is distinguishable as the 27th Brigade Border Garrison, which is made up of two people per unit in the Tumen River and Yalu River regions in the far north. He explained regarding the difference between the account that said warning shots and finally two aimed shots were fired, and of witness Lee Ihn Bok that he only heard two gunshots, "In the case of an average infantryman, they can fire an actual shot only after a warning. However, the Civilian Police Unit can fire immediately while omitting the warning shot.” However, he said, "It is not the first time that South Korean tourists have entered restricted areas and there have been several incidents like this, but a North Korean soldier has never fired a gunshot. If it is true that warning shots were not fired, but actual shots were fired, then it is highly possible that this incident was carefully planned." Chairman Joo also emphasized, "Average North Korean infantrymen do not have orders to aim at civilians, and they cannot independently decide to shot a South Korean civilian, which would always erupt into a political issue.” Last May, a civil servant working for North Chungcheong Provincial Office in South Korea visited the Mt. Geumgang site as part of a work-related educational process and was detained at a North Korean army post, but did not encounter any other incidents. He was jogging around 5:30 A.M. in the direction of Onjungkak and was detained for half an hour at a North Korean checkpoint, but the two North Korean infantrymen who detained him, while they had guns, conducted orders by blowing on their whistle. Chairman Joo said related to the chest and hip wounds inflicted on Park, "In order to strike the target with an AK-47 rifle, a person needs to be within a 100 meter distance. Such a technique surpasses the standard of average North Korean infantrymen." Such a statement gave credence to the possibility of the shooting having been over a short distance, in contrast to the North's explanation. He pointed out, "If North Korea, according to a particular political goal, needed to detain or execute a South Korean citizen, the Mt. Geumgang tourism area is probably the most suitable. In the tourism area, the ideologically and militarily elite soldiers are arrayed, while South Korean citizens are exposed in a defenseless state." Lee Myung Ho (pseudonym), who entered South Korea in 2005 after working at an army unit in Kangwon Province in the North, said, "According to the North Korean army regulations, it is impossible for a border infantryman to decide whether or not to fire on a South Korean tourist." He said, "In the case of the Mt. Geumgang garrison, each post and army affairs office is directly connected. Whether or not to shoot a South Korean cannot be single-handedly decided even by commanders of the army corps and other commanders." He said, "In North Korea, the fact that South Koreans are coming and going from Mt. Geumgang is a very important political issue. In the South, there have been talks about whether or not the shooting was carried out by the North Korean army or the hardliners, but only Kim Jong Il can determine such things."

North and South Korea agree to hold ministerial meeting June 12-13

North and South Korea agree to hold ministerial meeting June 12-13

Posted on : Jun.10,2013 11:46 KSTModified on : Jun.10,2013 15:01 KST

 

Chun Hae-sung (left), head of the South Korean Unification Ministry’s policy office and Kim Sung-hye, a senior official in North Korea’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, hold working level inter-Korean talks at the Panmunjom Peace Village on June 9. (provided by the Ministry of Unification)

Extensive working-level talks leave unresolved issues with the agenda and representatives

By Hankyoreh English staff

North and South Korea agreed to hold a two-day meeting in Seoul between minister-level authorities on June 12 and 13.

The two sides agreed on the official name “inter-Korean authorities’ talks” at their working-level effort to arrange a ministerial meeting, which concluded early Monday morning at Panmunjeom. It was also announced that the North Korean delegation had agreed to travel overland by way of the Gyeongui railway line.

But the general meeting and eight conversations by the chief representatives, which lasted until well past midnight on Sunday, failed to produce a final agreement on the agenda or the status of the representatives appearing at the talks, prompting each side to issue a separate announcement on these terms (the third and fourth out of the statement’s six clauses).

South Korea announced that an agreement had been made to “discuss immediate issues in need of urgent resolution,” including normalization of operations at the Kaesong Industrial Complex, the resumption of tourism at Mt. Keumgang in North Korea, reunions among separated family members, and other humanitarian issues.

But the North Korean announcement said the discussions would extend beyond those issues to include “immediate and urgent issues in inter-Korean relations such as joint commemoration of the June 15 Joint Statement [of 2000] and July 4 Joint Declaration [of 1972], private traffic and contact, and the pursuit of collaborative efforts.”

A senior official with the Ministry of Unification said on condition of anonymity that the South Korean side viewed it as “more suitable to use a general expression rather than itemizing and limiting the topics on the agenda as North Korea called for. Both sides decided to give separate announcements on the results of the discussion after they failed to bridge their differences on the agenda.”

The two sides also differed on the makeup of the delegations to the talks. The South Korean side said each would consist of five people, with the senior South Korean representative being someone empowered to address, discuss, and resolve inter-Korean issues. But the North Korean statement remained vague on the issue, confirming that the delegations would each have five members but stating that the senior representative would merely be a “minister-level authority.”

With both sides agreeing to discuss additional working-level matters through their Panmunjeom liaison officers, further discussion on the senior representatives appears likely in the time remaining.

The agreements were announced at a final general meeting early Sunday morning, after one previous general meeting and eight conversations between senior representatives. The first general meeting began slightly later than expected, at 10:13 am on Sunday, and continued on until 11 am, with both sides sharing their positions on agenda topics.

The meeting began without formalities, after the North Korean representatives agreed with the position of Chun Hae-sung, head of the Unification Ministry’s policy office and chief South Korean representative to the meeting, that it would be best to start right away, the ministry reported.

“We’re here to address the issues in a substantive way, so I think it’s best to go right into the discussions,” Chun was quoted as saying in his opening remarks.

The working level meetings Sunday were held behind closed doors. Reporters at the scene were not allowed access to the discussions.

While the working level meetings got off to a good start according to the tradition of past meetings, they ran into a snag in the afternoon when the two sides were unable to reach an agreement on the issues of whether Kim Yang-gon, Director of the North Korean United Front Department, would participate in the minister-level meetings and whether to hold a joint commemorative ceremony for the June 15 Joint Statement. As a result, last minute discussions continued into the early hours of the morning, with a seventh conversation between senior representatives taking place at 2am on June 10, fifteen hours after the talks began. With representatives from the North and South making periodic reports to and receiving orders from the governments in Seoul and Pyongyang, the heads of the delegations had to convene a total of eight times.

In regard to the question of who should represent the delegations at the minister-level meeting, the South Korean delegates did not directly bring up the name of Kim Yang-gon. However, they did indirectly express their opinion that, if the issues facing the North and South are to be comprehensively addressed, Central Committee Secretary and director of the North Korean United Front Department of the (North) Korean Workers’ Party would need to be present to serve as the counterpart of the South Korean Minister of Unification. Reports also indicate that the South proposed that the North Korean delegation to the talks in Seoul should come South over land instead of by plane.

However, the North Korean side was reported to have been unhappy with this proposal, arguing that, during the previous 21 minister-level talks, the head of the North Korean delegation was not the director of the North Korean United Front Department but rather a senior cabinet councilor. As a result, the statements ultimately released by the North and South included conflicting content in their fourth clauses, the sections that deal with the scale of the delegations to the talks and the rank of the head of the delegations. During this process, in order to give North Korea a little more leeway, the name of the upcoming talks was also altered from the original “inter-Korean minister-level talks” to “inter-Korean authorities’ talks.” Considering that the North Korean statement referred to a “high-ranking official,” it does not appear very likely that Kim Yang-gon will be present at the talks.

The other point of contention was whether to explicitly include items such as the commemorative ceremony for the June 15 Joint Declaration in the agenda for the talks. South Korea suggested that the issues of normalizing operations at the Kaesong Industrial Complex, resuming tours to Mt. Keumgang, and addressing humanitarian concerns such as the reunions of families separated during the Korean War ought to be on the agenda for discussion during the talks.

For its part, North Korea stuck to the position it had expressed in a special statement that the spokesperson for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland (CPRF) released on June 6. While the North was in agreement with the South on the issues of the Kaesong Complex, Mt. Keumgang, and reunions for separated families, it insisted that the issues of commemorating the June 15 Joint Statement and the July 4 Joint Declaration and the question of allowing civilian interaction and travel and pursuing economic cooperation projects must be addressed. In the end, since the North and South were unable to settle their differences, they agreed to publish statements in which the third clauses, which address the agenda of the meeting, would not be consistent (just as with the fourth clause).

The outcome of this working-level meeting suggests that the South Korean government intends to focus on the issues of the Kaesong Complex, Mt. Keumgang, and the reunions of the separated families at the upcoming meetings. In contrast, it is understood that North Korea disclosed its intention to also place importance on the question of commemorating the June 15 Joint Declaration and the July 4 Joint Communique and the issues of permitting civilian traffic and contact and pursuing economic development projects, the latter of two are connected with alleviating the May 24 economic sanctions adopted by the Lee Myung-bak government after the sinking of the Cheonan warship.

This hints that both sides will experience a not insignificant amount of difficulty during the discussions that will take place between the Korean authorities on June 12. For this reason, we will have to wait until the minister-level authorities talks are over before we can answer whether these minister-level talks talks the first to take place since Park Geun-hye become president of South Korea will lead to a breakthrough on the pressing issues affecting both Koreas, including normalization of the Kaesong Complex.

The working-level talks that took place on Jun. 9 were the first talks between North and South to be held in two years and four months since the military working-level talks in Feb. 2011. Inter-Korean talks had not been held in Panmunjom since the preparatory contact for the summit meetings in May 2004, 13 years and two months ago.

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