By Jung Sung-ki, Michael Ha
Staff Reporters
NEW YORK _ Former president Kim Dae-jung said Tuesday that South Korea, the United States and international organizations need to invest in North Korea to attain a balance against China.
Kim emphasized that once North Korea completes its denuclearization, the international community must step up and start investing in North Korea's faltering economy.
"Once the North Korean nuclear crisis resolved, international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and Asia Development Bank, enterprises of the United States and the Western world should advance into North Korea together with South Korea," he said in a speech to a gathering here organized by Korea Society, a New York-based non-profit group dedicated to the promotion of the South Korea-U.S. relationship.
``I believe we should expedite our entry into North Korea so as to attain balance against China,'' he said. ``China is extensively involved in the North Korean economy.''
He anticipated a likely and ``imminent'' resolution to the North Korean nuclear issue, citing recent progress in the six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear ambition. The six-way process involves the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia.
Kim hailed Washington's recent decision to engage in more dialogue with Pyongyang.
``Recently, President George W. Bush announced that he made his choice to actively pursue direct dialogue and give-and-take negotiations with the North,'' he said. ``I once again wholeheartedly welcome and strongly support Bush's decision to discard the former unrealistic policies and pursue productive ones in regards to North Korea.''
Kim stressed U.S. forces should play a role in maintaining peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula even after inter-Korean reunification is achieved.
The 81-year-old Kim said North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has already agreed on the post-unification role of U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) on the peninsula during the first summit in 2000.
``Chairman Kim agreed with my view that the U.S. troops should remain on the Korean Peninsula even after unification,'' Kim said during the luncheon meeting.
The North Korean leader had referred to invasions of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) by China, Japan and Russia in the late 19th century as an example showing the importance of foreign help to safeguard the country, said Kim who is on a 13-day visit to the United States.
``Upon hearing his remarks on the U.S. forces stationed on the Korean Peninsula, I was very astonished on the one hand, and very much relieved on the other hand,'' said Kim, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for his lifelong efforts to promote democracy in the region and Korean reconciliation.
Kim's ``sunshine policy'' of engaging North Korea culminated in June 2000 when he held the landmark first inter-Korean summit with Kim Jong-il. The summit laid the groundwork for facilitating civil and economic exchanges between the two Koreas.
Kim painted a bright picture for the upcoming summit between President Roh Moo-hyun and the North Korean leader on Oct. 2-4.
He said the summit is expected to help further expand cross-border economic cooperation such as the construction of a few other joint industrial parks modeled after the Gaeseong Industrial Complex.
Key presidential aides have said Roh is likely to propose plans to build industrial parks in the North's port city of Nampo and other cities, as well as invest in the North's public infrastructure projects including renovation of the 170-kilometer Pyongyang-Gaeseong highway.''