By Shim Jae-yun
Some senior lawmakers of the ruling Saenuri Party are calling for the "May 24 Measures, a package of sanctions imposed against North Korea, to be re-evaluated.
They emphasized the need for a shift in policy to address strained relations between South and North Korea.
Reps. Kim Tae-ho and Rhee In-je raised the issue during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Thursday.
Kim criticized the government for having failed to reach an agreement on a number of issues, including the North's plan to participate in the Incheon Asian Games.
"I can only harbor skepticism over the government's preparedness for possible reunification in an appropriate manner," Kim said.
He said the May 24 sanctions have been a major barrier to efforts to improve inter-Korean relations.
The administration of former President Lee Myung-bak imposed the sanctions in response to the North's torpedoing of the South Korean warship Cheonan in March 2010.
Kim said the measures aggravated the suffering of families who were separated due to the 1950-53 Korean War.
"Now we need to adopt more proactive policies to bring a change to the deadlocked inter-Korean relations," he said.
Rhee In-je echoed Kim's views by describing the May 24 sanctions as outdated.
He said it does not make sense to stick to the measures while pushing for peace initiatives.
"What we need is to start a new policy by discarding the measures as if turning a page in a book. We need to adopt a bold approach to improve inter-Korean relations," Rhee said.
Rep. Yoo Ki-june said the May 24 measures have already lost their effectiveness, given the government's recent peace overtures including President Park Geun-hye's Dresden Initiative and proposals for high-level talks.
Yoo is the chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee.
"If we make a sincere effort to create an atmosphere favorable for dialogue, North Korea will finally respond and cooperate in promoting exchanges between the two Koreas," he said during an interview with KBS radio.
Despite the growing calls for a review of the sanctions, many party members still prefer maintaining a hard-line policy toward North Korea. They say it is premature to do away with the measures given that the North has yet to take responsibility, or apologize for, the sinking of the Cheonan, which left 46 sailors dead.
Party insiders said the remarks by the lawmakers should be interpreted as a call for modification or alternatives, not a total overhaul of the sanctions.
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| Rep. Rhee In-je |
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| Rep. Yoo Ki-june |
They emphasized the need for a shift in policy to address strained relations between South and North Korea.
Reps. Kim Tae-ho and Rhee In-je raised the issue during a Supreme Council meeting at the National Assembly, Thursday.
Kim criticized the government for having failed to reach an agreement on a number of issues, including the North's plan to participate in the Incheon Asian Games.
"I can only harbor skepticism over the government's preparedness for possible reunification in an appropriate manner," Kim said.
He said the May 24 sanctions have been a major barrier to efforts to improve inter-Korean relations.
The administration of former President Lee Myung-bak imposed the sanctions in response to the North's torpedoing of the South Korean warship Cheonan in March 2010.
Kim said the measures aggravated the suffering of families who were separated due to the 1950-53 Korean War.
"Now we need to adopt more proactive policies to bring a change to the deadlocked inter-Korean relations," he said.
Rhee In-je echoed Kim's views by describing the May 24 sanctions as outdated.
He said it does not make sense to stick to the measures while pushing for peace initiatives.
"What we need is to start a new policy by discarding the measures as if turning a page in a book. We need to adopt a bold approach to improve inter-Korean relations," Rhee said.
Rep. Yoo Ki-june said the May 24 measures have already lost their effectiveness, given the government's recent peace overtures including President Park Geun-hye's Dresden Initiative and proposals for high-level talks.
Yoo is the chairman of the National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee.
"If we make a sincere effort to create an atmosphere favorable for dialogue, North Korea will finally respond and cooperate in promoting exchanges between the two Koreas," he said during an interview with KBS radio.
Despite the growing calls for a review of the sanctions, many party members still prefer maintaining a hard-line policy toward North Korea. They say it is premature to do away with the measures given that the North has yet to take responsibility, or apologize for, the sinking of the Cheonan, which left 46 sailors dead.
Party insiders said the remarks by the lawmakers should be interpreted as a call for modification or alternatives, not a total overhaul of the sanctions.
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