North's apology key to lifting May 24 Sanctions
By Yi Whan-woo
Pyongyang may accept Seoul's demands to apologize over its sinking of the naval frigate Cheonan in March 2010 amid optimism for a thaw in inter-Korean ties, observers said Thursday.
However, they were divided over to what extent and when North Korea will offer an apology, which Cheong Wa Dae has claimed is a prerequisite for South Korea to lift its May 24 Sanctions.
Imposed on May 24, 2010, these are a set of measures that ban any trading activities between the two Koreas, except for the Gaeseong Industrial Complex (GIC), in retaliation for Pyongyang's deadly torpedo attack against the Cheonan.
The cash-strapped regime has refused to apologize and instead asked the Park Geun-hye government to scrap the economic sanctions.
"North Korea is geared toward facilitating rising momentum for inter-Korean exchanges created by the Seoul-Pyongyang agreement," said An Chan-il, head of the World Institute for North Korea Studies. "It's likely to apologize over its attack on the Cheonan."
An said that the two Koreas agreed to improve their frayed ties and to hold multifaceted dialogue as well as negotiations on various issues in their six-point accord, Tuesday.
Kim Heung-kwang, the chief of North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity, echoed his view, although he said it remains to be seen when Pyongyang will make an apology.
He also said that the North will avoid using the word, "apology" as seen from its past resolutions of military conflicts with the South.
"I don't think North Korea will apologize within a month or two considering it showed regrets, Tuesday, over the landmine explosions in the demilitarized zone (DMZ)," Kim said. "Offering a second apology so soon will make its Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un look incompetent in diplomacy."
The agreement Tuesday was primarily aimed at ending the military standoff at the DMZ in the wake of North Korea's landmine attack on Aug. 4, which maimed two South Korean soldiers. The incident triggered Seoul to resume loudspeaker broadcasting against Pyongyang for the first time since 2004 and an exchange of artillery fire occurred as a consequence.
The second point of the accord, Tuesday, states that "Pyongyang expressed regret over South Korean soldiers being wounded in recent mine explosions that occurred in the southern side of the DMZ."
"It's possible that the isolationist state will gradually and informally offer regrets over the Cheonan attack when various inter-Korean exchanges take place in the future, such as reunions of separated families," Kim noted
Under the fifth point, the two Koreas agreed to hold reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War on the occasion of the Chuseok holiday, which falls over four days until Sept. 29 this year.
Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, speculated that Pyongyang could issue a statement of regret late this year depending on how inter-Korean ties develop.
"North Korea expressed regrets this time because it was desperate to end the loudspeaker broadcasting which it has considered as an insult to its authoritative system," he said. "It will wait and see if Seoul is willing to boost inter-Korean economic exchanges. It will then show regret over the Cheonan attack."
Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University, ruled out any possibility that North Korea will apologize.
"The United Nations' existing economic sanctions against Pyongyang will still make it difficult for South Korea to engage in inter-Korean economic activities even if it lifts the May 24 measures," he said. "Pyongyang knows this and therefore has no reason to apologize."
Meanwhile, National Security Advisor Kim Kwan-jin said Thursday that the government's stance over lifting the sanctions "remains unchanged." He was one of four Seoul and Pyongyang officials who struck the deal Tuesday.
The three others were Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo, North Korea's No. 2 man Hwang Pyong-so and its point-man on inter-Korean affairs, Kim Yang-gon.
By Yi Whan-woo
Pyongyang may accept Seoul's demands to apologize over its sinking of the naval frigate Cheonan in March 2010 amid optimism for a thaw in inter-Korean ties, observers said Thursday.
However, they were divided over to what extent and when North Korea will offer an apology, which Cheong Wa Dae has claimed is a prerequisite for South Korea to lift its May 24 Sanctions.
Imposed on May 24, 2010, these are a set of measures that ban any trading activities between the two Koreas, except for the Gaeseong Industrial Complex (GIC), in retaliation for Pyongyang's deadly torpedo attack against the Cheonan.
The cash-strapped regime has refused to apologize and instead asked the Park Geun-hye government to scrap the economic sanctions.
"North Korea is geared toward facilitating rising momentum for inter-Korean exchanges created by the Seoul-Pyongyang agreement," said An Chan-il, head of the World Institute for North Korea Studies. "It's likely to apologize over its attack on the Cheonan."
An said that the two Koreas agreed to improve their frayed ties and to hold multifaceted dialogue as well as negotiations on various issues in their six-point accord, Tuesday.
Kim Heung-kwang, the chief of North Korea Intellectuals Solidarity, echoed his view, although he said it remains to be seen when Pyongyang will make an apology.
He also said that the North will avoid using the word, "apology" as seen from its past resolutions of military conflicts with the South.
"I don't think North Korea will apologize within a month or two considering it showed regrets, Tuesday, over the landmine explosions in the demilitarized zone (DMZ)," Kim said. "Offering a second apology so soon will make its Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un look incompetent in diplomacy."
The agreement Tuesday was primarily aimed at ending the military standoff at the DMZ in the wake of North Korea's landmine attack on Aug. 4, which maimed two South Korean soldiers. The incident triggered Seoul to resume loudspeaker broadcasting against Pyongyang for the first time since 2004 and an exchange of artillery fire occurred as a consequence.
The second point of the accord, Tuesday, states that "Pyongyang expressed regret over South Korean soldiers being wounded in recent mine explosions that occurred in the southern side of the DMZ."
"It's possible that the isolationist state will gradually and informally offer regrets over the Cheonan attack when various inter-Korean exchanges take place in the future, such as reunions of separated families," Kim noted
Under the fifth point, the two Koreas agreed to hold reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War on the occasion of the Chuseok holiday, which falls over four days until Sept. 29 this year.
Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies, speculated that Pyongyang could issue a statement of regret late this year depending on how inter-Korean ties develop.
"North Korea expressed regrets this time because it was desperate to end the loudspeaker broadcasting which it has considered as an insult to its authoritative system," he said. "It will wait and see if Seoul is willing to boost inter-Korean economic exchanges. It will then show regret over the Cheonan attack."
Park Won-gon, an international relations professor at Handong University, ruled out any possibility that North Korea will apologize.
"The United Nations' existing economic sanctions against Pyongyang will still make it difficult for South Korea to engage in inter-Korean economic activities even if it lifts the May 24 measures," he said. "Pyongyang knows this and therefore has no reason to apologize."
Meanwhile, National Security Advisor Kim Kwan-jin said Thursday that the government's stance over lifting the sanctions "remains unchanged." He was one of four Seoul and Pyongyang officials who struck the deal Tuesday.
The three others were Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo, North Korea's No. 2 man Hwang Pyong-so and its point-man on inter-Korean affairs, Kim Yang-gon.
