Seoul-based Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies co-organises the meeting with its northern counterpart. Scientific conferences lay the ground for permanent collaboration.

Pyongyang (AsiaNews) – For the first since the start of the Korean Civil War scientists from both sides of the divide met in the capital of North Korea for a four-day seminar on scientific development and academic cooperation between the two nations, the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies in Seoul, which co-organised the event, said in a statement.

The May 7-11 seminar in Pyongyang brought together 60 mostly chemical scientists from South Korea and 50 from North Korea,

“Scientists from the two sides were able to conclude a purely academic meeting, which will serve as a cornerstone in future cross-border science talks,” Chae Young-bok, the chairman of the federation, said.

Participants exchanged views on four different areas of chemistry, including nano- and high-molecular chemistry.

Whilst it was the first such meeting in Korea itself, scientists from both Koreas have previously met at scientific conferences in China and other third countries.

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