‘I want to hold cultural events in Pyongyang'
By Lee Hyo-sik
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, a potential presidential candidate, has criticized President Park Geun-hye's hard-line stance toward North Korea, urging her to take a reconciliatory approach toward the communist country.
In a roundtable talk with former Berlin Governing Mayor Walter Momper in the German capital city, Wednesday (local time), Mayor Park said if the Park administration had continued the ''sunshine policy'' ― a set of reconciliatory policies toward the North introduced by the late former President Kim Dae-jung ― he would already have met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
''The Kim Dae-jung administration achieved significant accomplishments through the sunshine policy. Things were on the right track under the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, who maintained a friendly stance on the North," Mayor Park said. ''However, the inter-Korean relations have become tense again these days.''
The mayor said if former President Lee Myung-bak and President Park had continued the sunshine policy, he would have met the leader of the reclusive state by now. ''It would be an enormous thing for me to meet Kim Jong-un on a regular basis. But it is unfortunate that the North Korea policies have been altered from a political viewpoint.''
Park said the Seoul Metropolitan Government has an inter-Korean cooperation fund, stressing that he wants to spend the money to organize friendly football matches and music concerts in Pyongyang. ''We would like to hold many cultural events in the North Korean capital. But we cannot do so without approval from the central government.''
The Seoul mayor has been touted as a potential presidential candidate from the liberal camp, following his successful re-election in the June 4 local elections. Mayor Park has often clashed with the Park administration over a wide range of policies, particularly welfare-related issues.
Prior to the roundtable discussion, the mayor met with Berlin Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit to sign a memorandum of understanding to boost bilateral exchanges on the areas of culture and tourism. The two cities have agreed to encourage citizens to visit each other's city and increase exchanges in fashion, movie and other culture-related industries.
The mayor returned home Thursday afternoon after completing his five-day European tour. Before Berlin, he visited Denmark's capital Copenhagen.
By Lee Hyo-sik
 |
| Park Won-soon |
In a roundtable talk with former Berlin Governing Mayor Walter Momper in the German capital city, Wednesday (local time), Mayor Park said if the Park administration had continued the ''sunshine policy'' ― a set of reconciliatory policies toward the North introduced by the late former President Kim Dae-jung ― he would already have met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
''The Kim Dae-jung administration achieved significant accomplishments through the sunshine policy. Things were on the right track under the late former President Roh Moo-hyun, who maintained a friendly stance on the North," Mayor Park said. ''However, the inter-Korean relations have become tense again these days.''
The mayor said if former President Lee Myung-bak and President Park had continued the sunshine policy, he would have met the leader of the reclusive state by now. ''It would be an enormous thing for me to meet Kim Jong-un on a regular basis. But it is unfortunate that the North Korea policies have been altered from a political viewpoint.''
Park said the Seoul Metropolitan Government has an inter-Korean cooperation fund, stressing that he wants to spend the money to organize friendly football matches and music concerts in Pyongyang. ''We would like to hold many cultural events in the North Korean capital. But we cannot do so without approval from the central government.''
The Seoul mayor has been touted as a potential presidential candidate from the liberal camp, following his successful re-election in the June 4 local elections. Mayor Park has often clashed with the Park administration over a wide range of policies, particularly welfare-related issues.
Prior to the roundtable discussion, the mayor met with Berlin Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit to sign a memorandum of understanding to boost bilateral exchanges on the areas of culture and tourism. The two cities have agreed to encourage citizens to visit each other's city and increase exchanges in fashion, movie and other culture-related industries.
The mayor returned home Thursday afternoon after completing his five-day European tour. Before Berlin, he visited Denmark's capital Copenhagen.
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