NK Light-Water Reactor Project Was Failure
By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
Unification Minister Kim Ha-joong said Thursday that providing North Korea with a light-water reactor was a project that ended in failure.
He made the remarks in response to a lawmaker's question in a National Assembly committee meeting.
Rep. Chung Jin-suk of the governing Grand National Party (GNP) blamed the previous Roh Moo-hyun administration for the failure, pointing out that the project which ended in May 2006 cost Seoul nearly 1.1 billion won.
The lawmaker proposed holding a public hearing on the matter.
However, Rep. Song Min-soon of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) claimed that the controversial project began during the government of former President Kim Young-sam who belonged to a now-defunct party, predecessor of the GNP.
Reminding that the United States and North Korea agreed on the plan and South Korea just took the burden, Song said his party is ready to accept the idea of holding a hearing on the issue.
Asked about North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's alleged health problems, Minister Kim almost kept mum.
He called for curbing speculation surrounding Kim's health problems, saying it could impede inter-Korean relations.
It is inappropriate to mention media reports on the mater without confirmation from North Korea, he said.
The North Korean leader's absence from a parade marking his country's 60th anniversary prompted rampant speculation in South Korea regarding his health.
The National Intelligence Service said that Kim suffered a stroke last month, but that he has recovered well enough to brush his teeth on his own.
The North's No. 2 leader Kim Yong-nam reportedly denied the speculations.