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Wed, April 14, 2021 | 07:25
N. Korea offers condolences over S. Korean ferry victims
北 "세월호 침몰 사고에 심심한 위로"
Posted : 2014-04-24 09:56
Updated : 2014-04-24 09:56
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North Korea has expressed its condolences over the sinking of a South Korean ferry in a telephone message through its Red Cross Society, the unification ministry said Wednesday.

The message under the name of Kang Su-rin, the chief of the Red Cross Society of North Korea, was sent to Yoo Jung-keun, the president of the (South) Korean Red Cross, the ministry said.

Of 476 people on board, 174 people survived the sinking of the 6,325-ton ferry Sewol. One hundred and fifty have been confirmed dead, with 152 people still missing as of noon on Wednesday.

"In the message, the North expressed its deep sorrow over the many victims of the disaster," the ministry said.

The North's condolences are the first of their kind since 2003, when a subway fire and typhoon Maemi rocked the country. The South has yet to respond to the North's message, ministry officials said. The South conveyed its condolences over flooding in North Korea in 2006.

The (North) Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), the North's official media, confirmed the delivery of the condolence message in an English-language report.

"The Central Committee of the Red Cross Society of the DPRK Wednesday sent a message of sympathy to the South Korean Red Cross," it said, adding "The message expressed deep sympathy as regards the sinking of the ferry 'Sewol' in waters off Jin Island, South Jolla Province on April 16 claiming many casualties including young schoolchildren and leaving many persons missing."

North Korea experts said that the North's move seems to be intended to improve chilly inter-Korean ties.

"Saying it will keep an eye on President Park Geun-hye's stance on inter-Korean relations, the North sent its condolence message (over the disaster). It appears to be the North's intention to thaw the frozen inter-Korean relationship," said Yang Moo-jin, a political scientist at the University of North Korean Studies. "It remains to be seen whether the North carries out its fourth nuclear test."

Earlier in the day, the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland handling inter-Korean affairs said an improvement in inter-Korean ties wholly depends on Park's stance, outlining 10 demands including the withdrawal of the South's May 24 sanctions.

In May 2010, the South imposed sanctions against the North in response to the March sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan, which is alleged to have been torpedoed by the North.

It has been reported that the North is preparing for its fourth nuclear test ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama's trip to Asian countries including South Korea this month.

A unification ministry official said the South Korean government has decided not to respond to the North's demands one by one. (Yonhap)


北 "세월호 침몰 사고에 심심한 위로"

북한이 23일 세월호 참사와 관련해 우리 측에 위로의 뜻이 담긴 전통문을 전달해 왔다.

    북한은 이날 오후 4시께 판문점 연락관 채널을 통해 강수린 조선적십자회 중앙위원회 위원장 명의의 위로 통지문을 대한적십자사 총재 앞으로 보내왔다고 통일부가 전했다.

    통일부 당국자는 '북한이 적십자회 중앙위원회 명의로 대한적십자사 앞으로 전통문을 보내왔다'며 '북한은 지난 16일 진도 앞바다에서 발생한 여객선 세월호 침몰 사고로 어린 학생들을 비롯한 수많은 승객이 사망하거나 실종된 데 대해 심심한 위로의 뜻을 표했다'고 밝혔다.

    북한이 위로의 뜻을 밝혀온 것은 사고 발생 7일 만으로, 최근 함경북도 풍계리 핵실험장에서 4차 핵실험 준비 움직임을 보이는 것으로 알려진 가운데 이뤄진 것이어서 주목된다.

    조선중앙통신도 이날 저녁 남측에 위문 전문을 보낸 사실을 보도했다.

    통신은 조선적십자회 중앙위원회가 이날 남측 대한적십자사에 위문 전문을 보냈다며 '위문 전문은 지난 16일 전라남도 진도 앞바다에서 발생한 여객선 세월호 침몰 사고로 나이 어린 학생들을 비롯한 수많은 승객이 사망하거나 실종된 데 대해 심심한 위로의 뜻을 표한다고 지적했다'고 소개했다.

    통일부 당국자는 북측의 위로 전통문에 대한 답신 문제에 대해 '특별히 현재로서는 우리 입장을 보내거나 하지 않는 것으로 안다'고 말했다.

    북한이 우리쪽 대형 재난이나 사건과 관련해 위로의 뜻을 전한 것은 지난 2003년 대구 지하철 참사와 태풍 매미 피해 이후 처음인 것으로 전해졌다.

    우리 정부는 북측의 2006년 수해 때 위로의 뜻을 표시했다.

    한편 통일부 당국자는 북한의 대남기구인 조국평화통일위원회(조평통)가 이날 박근혜 대통령에게 보낸 '공개질문장'과 관련해 '일일이 대응하지 않기로 입장을 정리했다'고 밝혔다.

    조평통은 이날 '공개질문장'에서 남북관계는 전적으로 박 대통령의 태도에 달렸다고 주장하면서 5·24 대북조치 철회, 8월 을지프리덤가디언(UFG) 연습 중단 용의 등 10개 항의 질문에 대한 대답을 요구했다.

    양무진 북한대학원대학교 교수는 '북한이 공개질문장을 통해 박 대통령의 태도를 주시하겠다고 밝히면서 위로전문을 보낸 것은 경색된 남북관계를 풀어보겠다는 뜻이 있음을 시사한 것으로 보인다'며 '북한이 실제로 제4차 핵실험을 할지는 좀 더 지켜볼 필요가 있다'고 말했다. (연합뉴스)









 
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