[News Today] ‘BLOCK 7’ TALKS RESUME WITH JAPAN

[LEAD]
Today marks a significant meeting between South Korea and Japan, the first in 39 years, focusing on the joint development of 'Mining Block 7,' a sector believed to contain oil and natural gas. Nearly 50 years after the initial agreement, the discussions resume amid a history of delays attributed to Japan's lackluster engagement. Attention is now being drawn to what the meeting will bring.

[REPORT]
In 1974, South Korea and Japan signed a treaty to jointly develop a maritime area including what's known as 'mining block 7.'

The two sides agreed to set up a working level consultation body called a joint committee and hold a meeting at least once a year.

This was to ensure that both sides meet regularly to check on progress and coordinate opinion.

However, the 5th committee meeting was the last to be held in 1985.

It was around that time that the first joint exploration came to the conclusion that a meaningful oil well could not be found.

Japan then withdrew from the project and amid continued ups and downs in bilateral relations, mining block 7 was left neglected, with no progress made.

Then in recent days, the issue was raised during a vice foreign ministerial meeting, which led to the resumption of related working level talks.

Cho Tae-yul / Minister of Foreign affairs (Sept. 10, Interpellation session)
We resumed director-level talks with Japan and are trying to persuade them to continue the treaty which is conducive to negotiations as well as bilateral ties.

After much discussion, Korea and Japan agreed to revive the joint committee after 39 years and are meeting in Tokyo on Friday.

The talks are led by director general-level officials of Seoul's foreign and trade ministries and senior officials from Japan's counterpart ministries.

A foreign ministry official in Seoul said the two sides will hold comprehensive discussions on implementing the treaty but warned against reading too much into it, noting the session won't discuss a treaty extension.

The foreign ministry expressed hope that through the meeting, the two sides can continue to address the joint development issue in amicable terms, and vowed to exert best effort to safeguard national interest.

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