Pyongyang Shows Flexible Attitude in New Year's Message

North Korea has come up with a joint editorial that focuses on economic development through continued inter-Korean cooperation and exchange. Pyongyang emphasized peace and reconciliation many times while refraining from launching harsh criticism of South Korea's conservatives led by the opposition Grand National Party (GNP) as it did in the past. The North issues the joint editorial annually to set out its policy for the New Year.

The editorial laid heavy emphasis on progress in inter-Korean relations through faithful carrying out of the agreement reached between leaders of the two Koreas. This seems to indicate the North has much expectation for the coming new government of President-elect Lee Myung-bak. We welcome the North's adoption of a flexible attitude as this can be taken to mean the reclusive nation is opting for a pragmatic line for survival rather than maintaining a strong ideological stance.

In an abrupt turnaround from its offensives against Lee ahead of the presidential election, the North has underlined the need to abide by the Oct. 14 accord with particular emphasis on promotion of peace and co-prosperity. The North's softer stance shows it has had no choice but to take a pragmatic approach. In fact, the editorial confessed ``The task is no less important than having food to eat.''

For North Korea, inter-Korean economic exchange has become ever more significant with increasing reliance on cooperation with the South. Given this, it is not proper for the government to be too rigid in its demands for reciprocity from the North. And it is improper for Rep. Park Jin of the GNP, who is in charge of security matters in the transition team, to make statements indicating the need to apply brakes on inter-Korean exchange.

The six-party negotiations have entered a new phase as the North failed to meet the deadline for reporting its nuclear facilities �� Dec. 31. The North complained that the United States has yet to remove it from a list of states that sponsor terrorism. It has also been demanding the U.S. abolish the law banning trade with enemy nations including the North. It is fortunate to see the U.S. ready to continue efforts for denuclearization despite the North's failure to meet the deadline.

We urge the transition team to take a more proactive attitude in dealing with the inter-Korean issues. The new security lineup will emerge soon but it will take time for the new team to come with policies to tackle the nuclear issue. So it needs to pay special heed to ensure the six-way talks will not lose momentum. Should the new administration take a hard-line stance, it will be a step backwards for inter-Korean relations and will not help resolve the nuclear row. As the North has shown its willingness to be pragmatic, the new government is also asked to deal with security matters in a more flexible and pragmatic manner.