Mutual Trust, Respect Are Both Preconditions and Rewards

It's certain President Lee Myung-bak is now more willing than ever to hold a summit with his North Korean counterpart. He also seems to have strong confidence in dealing with Kim Jong-il, driven to the wall amid diplomatic isolation and economic hardship. Less certain, however, is whether the South Korean leader is ``really'' prepared for turning the tete-a-tete into a successful ― if not historic ― event for both Koreas.

We welcome President Lee's increasingly positive and open-minded stance toward the inter-Korean summit. Lee, who first set the North's denuclearization as a prerequisite for any meaningful meeting, has watered down his precondition to the discussion of the nuclear issue and is now putting forth a summit ``with no conditions'' at all.

One can only presume Lee's aides have failed to include the biggest security issue among the agenda items in the possible South-North summit in their secret contacts with North Korean officials. Considering that Pyongyang regards it as an issue to be primarily discussed with the United States or at the six-party conference, any discussion of it at a bilateral summit will produce little more than the confirmation of grand principle or an abstract declaration.

Lee's dropping of the other prerequisite ― the return of South Korean POWs and other abductees ― may also be due to North Koreans' refusal to do so in behind-the-scenes negotiations, as Pyongyang has not recognized ― at least officially ― their existence so far.

If Seoul's two major conditions had not been accepted by Pyongyang, then it is small surprise Lee said Tuesday North Korea should not expect any financial rewards in return for a third summit.

We hope all these presumptions prove to be wrong.

Granted, diplomacy should be based on the reality of give-and-take, but it is also true special circumstances require special approaches.

From the standpoint of the North Korean leader, an inter-Korean summit is imperative as a preparatory stage for improving relations with the U.S. as well as getting economic aid to tide over the current economic difficulties, including a food shortage. But Kim's wishes may not come true if his South Korean counterpart sticks to his ``no-rewards'' principle, saying Seoul should not weaken the U.N.-led sanctions on Pyongyang, as reaffirmed Wednesday by his foreign minister Yu Myung-hwan, who stressed the need for international cooperation.

As most international experts agree, however, the provision of rice and fertilizer is not political but humanitarian aid, which the U.N. recognizes as an exception from sanctions. Nor should this be regarded as a ``bribe'' for a summit ― if only Seoul can assure transparency in distribution ― as the aid had been given every year, with or without summits, until Lee took office.

Looking back, the current inter-Korean tension is largely due to the abrupt cease of this humanitarian aid, so the first step toward normalizing ties should start with its resumption.

In this regard, President Lee's thinly-veiled sneering that the past two summits were expensive was unbecoming of a leader who should stand above partisan politics. We don't expect from him the likes of U.S. presidents, who compare themselves as dwarves standing on giants' shoulders, but denying all his predecessors' accomplishments for ideological differences won't get him anywhere.

What both Koreas need right now are trust in and respect of each other. These are both the preconditions to holding a summit and, if the two leaders will be able to deepen them at the proposed meeting, these will also be the biggest rewards.