No accord on Korea fishing zone

It was hoped to talks could improve relations between the two countries

North and South Korea have ended high-level military talks without reaching an agreement on the creation of a shared fishing zone.

The move was intended to avoid a repeat of violent clashes along the disputed Yellow Sea border in 1999 and 2002, in which a number of sailors died.

Both countries have agreed to the zone in principle but not on its location.

The fishing area is part of a proposed package of deals aimed at improving relations between the two countries.

THE TWO KOREAS 1910: Korean Peninsula colonised by Japan 1945: Divided into US-backed South and Soviet-backed North 1950-1953: Korean War, no peace deal signed 1987: North Korea bombs a South airliner, killing 115 1990s: South Korea introduces conciliatory Sunshine Policy 2000: Kim Jong-il and Kim Dae-jung hold first leaders' summit 2007: Kim Jong-il and Roh Moo-hyun hold second leaders' summit History of the Korean War

But the talks in Panmunjom stalled as generals were unable to agree on the borders of their territorial waters, a precondition for establishing the zone.

South Korea wants the zone to straddle the border known as the Northern Limit Line, which was drawn at the end of the Korean War.

North Korea does not recognise this border and wants the fishing zone to extend further south.

Col Moon Sung-mook, spokesman for the South's delegation, told reporters: "We couldn't agree with the North's opinion so we couldn't reach a settlement today."

Boardroom scuffles

Earlier in the meetings there were minor scuffles when North Korean officials attempted to show a map of their proposal for the zone to journalists.

South Korea said this violated an earlier agreement to keep discussions private.

South Korea said the North had agreed to keep discussions private

But North Korea's chief delegate, Lt Gen Kim Yong-Chol told his South Korean counterpart: "We cannot expect any results since your side does not trust us.

"You should have taken the interests of a group into consideration, not your personal interests."

Despite the deadlock over fishing rights, other agreements were reached during the meetings.

The North agreed to allow the South to use internet and wireless telephone connections at two joint venture projects north of the border and to simply customs procedures.

In a major development, the first daily cross-border train services in 50 years began on Tuesday, carrying freight between the two countries.