Roh’s NLL Concept Prompts Fire From GNP

Kang Jae-sup, chairman of the main opposition Grand National Party, speaks at a lunch President Roh Moo-hyun, third from left, hosted at Cheong Wa Dae Thursday to brief leaders of the five major political parties on the results of the inter-Korean summit. / Yonhap

By Kim Yon-se, Yoon Won-sup
Staff Reporters

President Roh Moo-hyun said on Thursday that it was wrong to call the Northern Limit Line (NLL) a territorial line, drawing criticism from the conservative opposition Grand National Party (GNP).

``The armistice line was drawn with the agreement of all concerned parties, but the NLL was unilaterally drawn without any agreement,''Roh said in a lunch he hosted to brief leaders of the five political parties on the results of the inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang last week. The NLL has served as a de facto maritime sea border in the West Sea since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

In response, GNP Chairman Kang Jae-sup urged Roh to be clear-cut on the NLL.

He noted that he was surprised to hear Roh's statement that the line should not be viewed as a territorial concept.

Kang said that the inter-Korean maritime border in the West Sea should remain intact even though the leaders of the two Koreas agreed to set up a special peace and economic area there.

``The NLL should remain firm,'' he said.

Conservative groups are concerned that the establishment of a special zone may weaken the borderline using the excuse of inter-Korean peace and economic cooperation.

Meanwhile, Kang gave a conditional welcome to the inter-Korean summit accord, saying that while his party welcomed the accord it attached a few strings.

First, defense ministers of the two Koreas should discuss ways of helping South Korean abductees and prisoners of Korean War to return to the South.

Second, the prime ministers of the two countries must expand the reunion of displaced family members.

Third, North Korea did not show a clear-cut determination to denuclearize during the summit _ something it must do.

Finally, inter-Korean economic projects should be handled purely on a commercial basis under the initiative of the private sector.

Kang said all inter-Korean projects should get National Assembly approval when they involve taxpayers' money on a case-by-case basis.

Kang expressed willingness to cooperate with the government in implementing the accord of the inter-Korean summit on Oct 2-4.

He said, ``As our party's representative, I will pay respect for developing inter-Korean agreements compared to past ones.''

Kang noted that Roh's summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il offered ``hope'' to the people, and made a contribution toward bringing peace to the Korean Peninsula and unification.

He also urged President Roh and Cheong Wa Dae to refrain from making judgments on presidential campaign pledges, saying the office should be neutral in the campaign.
Among other participants at the luncheon were O Chung-il, chairman of the United New Democratic Party (UNDP); Chun Young-se, floor leader of the Democratic Labor Party (DLP); and Park Sang-cheon, a representative of the Democratic Party (DP).

The UNDP leader said he could not hold back his tears when he saw the President and first lady Kwon Yang-suk walk across the Military Demarcation Line for his visit to Pyongyang on Oct. 2.

Rep. Chun was the only participant who accompanied Roh on his visit to Pyongyang last week.

yoonwonsup@koreatimes.co.kr
kys@koreatimes.co.kr

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