By Reuben Staines
Staff Reporter

South and North Korea opened minister-level talks in Seoul yesterday amid high expectations for progress in inter-Korean relations and on the protracted nuclear standoff. The 15th round of inter-Korean Cabinet talks, which follows a 13-month boycott of high-level dialogue by Pyongyang, kicked off with a dinner at the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill Hotel hosted by Unification Minister Chung Dong-young, South Korea’s top representative for the four-day meeting. ``Today is the summer solstice and I think this is a sign that we must work hard to nurture inter-Korean relations, just as farmers tend their crops at this time of year,’’ Chung urged his North Korean counterpart, Senior Cabinet Councilor Kwon Ho-ung, during the meeting.

Kwon, who heads the five-member North Korean delegation, agreed and said he will work hard to make the meeting a success. The first full session of discussions starts today.

Hopes are high for the talks following Friday’s unexpected face-to-face meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and the South’s unification chief in Pyongyang.

During the meeting, Kim expressed willingness to bolster inter-Korean cooperation and said North Korea could resume negotiations on dismantling its nuclear weapons programs as early as July if the U.S. treats it respectfully.

The Unification Ministry said it expects ``gains to be made in all areas of mutual concern’’ at the Cabinet talks.

The ruling Uri Party was also hopeful of substantial progress, saying that the government should seek to firm up agreements reached during the meeting with the reclusive North Korean leader.

``We hope that this meeting will help to maintain an atmosphere of peace and reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula,’’ Uri Party spokesman Jun Byung-hun said. ``Expectations are higher than ever before.’’

South Korea has said it will use the Cabinet talks to press the North to give an exact date for resuming the six-party talks over its nuclear weapons programs. But Pyongyang has refused to address the nuclear standoff in previous inter-Korean meetings, saying it will only discuss the issue with the United States.

The talks are instead likely to focus on preparations for a new round of inter-Korean reunions this August for families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War and the resumption of high-level military talks _ both of which were tentatively agreed to by the North’s leader.

South Korea’s invitation of a North Korean government delegation to joint Liberation Day celebrations in Seoul on Aug. 15 will also be on the agenda.

For its part, North Korea is seeking an additional 150,000 tons of fertilizer aid from the capitalist South to help avert a worsening food shortage.

The North’s Red Cross requested the aid Saturday, just as Seoul was completing another shipment of 200,000 tons of fertilizer it pledged during May.

The South’s Red Cross and Uri Party have indicated they support providing the aid on humanitarian grounds.

But the main opposition Grand National Party said Seoul should make progress on the nuclear issue its bottom line.

``Practical discussions should be held on resuming the six-nation talks,’’ said Chun Yu-ok, spokeswoman for the conservative party.

Chun also urged the government to address the human rights situation in the North.

rjs@koreatimes.co.kr