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A pastor, who supported Lee Myung-bak in the 2007 presidential election, criticized him Friday for his handling of North Korea, sparking speculation that he might have turned his back on the lame duck President.
In Myung-jin, pastor of the Galilee Church based in Seoul, alleged Lee’s North Korea vision is flawed as it is full of coercion and repression toward the communist state, lacking engagement elements.
Speaking to a forum hosted by the Korean Council for Reconciliation and Cooperation, the pastor claimed Lee has no strategy to improve inter-Korean relations and reveals only impatience by focusing on pressing and short-term issues.
Under the “MB Doctrine,” Lee pledged conditional engagement with North Korea only when the impoverished country commits to and takes measures for denuclearization.
In, who served as chairman of an ethics committee of the ruling Grand National Party (GNP) in 2006, said Lee’s conservative North Korea policy was doomed to fail from the very start.
In an interview with a weekly magazine in July, he said he received a job offer to take over the chairmanship of the National Human Rights Commission from Lee after he was sworn in February, 2008. In said he rejected it.
The pastor criticized the Lee government’s response to the North over Mt. Geumgang tourism after a female South Korean tourist was shot dead in July 2008.
Seoul demanded Pyongyang offer a formal apology, investigate the incident thoroughly and inform the South of the results, and take measures to prevent such incidents in the future. The North refused this.
In said South Korea has been inconsistent when it responded to the North over the tourism case. He also alleged the Lee government’s handling of the two deadly attacks by North Korea last year was short-sighted at best.
Regarding the sinking of the warship Cheonan and the North Korean artillery attack on Yeonpyeong Island, he accused the government of its “unrealistic” demand for an apology from the North.
The religious leader’s criticism came amid a spreading corruption scandal involving President Lee’s relatives.
An aide to Rep. Lee Sang-deuk, the President’s brother, was arrested for having received 750 million won from a business leader. Lee’s other relatives have been questioned for taking bribes from businesspeople.
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