By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
Progressive and conservative civic groups are calling for different issues to be discussed at the second inter-Korean summit slated for Oct. 2 to 4.
Progressive groups are seeing the summit as a chance to boost peace in the Korean Peninsula, while conservative groups are denouncing the South Korean government for avoiding talking about sensitive issues.
Civil Society Organizations Network in Korea, a coalition of 189 civic groups, said the meeting between South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il should be a push to make rapid progress in discussing peace.
``The heads of the two Koreas should show the world their willingness to actively lead establishing peace here. The cooperation between the North and the South should be expanded largely so that we can prosper together. Outdated laws and systems made during the cold-war era should also be abolished to achieve peaceful unification,'' the network said in a statement announced Friday.
It also called for cooperation in the military field.
Choi Han-wook, director of the Solidarity for Practice of the South-North Joint Declaration, said that the international situation signals an opportunity to root permanent peace here, and that the summit is needed to develop the situation.
``We hope the two leaders will draw detailed and practical agreements for peace, joint prosperity and reunification. The economic cooperation should also be reshaped for a united economic body,'' Choi said.
But conservative civic groups said the issues South Korea plans to discuss at the summit are not in line with citizens' opinions.
``What South Koreans want is denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and it is what Roh and Kim should talk about. But Roh said he would not irritate Kim by urging him to scrap the nuclear program. Moreover, the president will watch the Communist propaganda-oriented Arirang performance,'' Park Sang-hak, head of Democracy Network Against NK Gulag, said.
He said Roh should talk about more important issues such as human rights in the North, South Korean citizens kidnapped by the North, and dispersed families.
Members of Citizens United for Better Society claimed the national defense budget keeps increasing despite growing financial support given to the North, saying such cost-inefficient support policy should be reviewed.
The group's survey on 123 college students showed they attach the highest value on employment (35 percent), while reunification came last (13 percent) following economic growth (31 percent) and balanced development of the country (21 percent).
When asked how much they are willing to pay for reunification, those students answered up to 10 percent of their income.
Both progressive and conservative civic groups plan to hold rallies and events to welcome or denounce the summit over the weekend.
Political parties also presented different issues to be discussed. The Grand National Party floor leader Ahn Sang-soo said the nuclear and human rights issues should be included, calling for detailed agreement that can lead to the North's opening of the door.
The Democratic Labor Party demanded the government talk about establishing a joint organization to study unification methods and improving laws to build trust between the two Koreas such as abolishment of the National Security Law.