Lee to Unveil Peace Initiative to NK
By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
President Lee Myung-bak is expected to propose a comprehensive package of incentives for North Korea on the condition that it abandons its nuclear ambitions in his nationally-televised Liberation Day address today.
His speech will also include measures to address political, regional and ideological divisions and renew his vision for "centrist pragmatism" to stabilize the livelihood of ordinary citizens and boost economic recovery, Cheong Wa Dae said Friday.
"Lee will propose diverse measures to promote peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," the presidential office said in a press release. "He will also reaffirm his pledge to work for ordinary people and seek national unity by addressing political and ideological conflicts."
The proposal to Pyongyang doesn't mean that he will change his hard-line policy toward the reclusive regime or resume inter-Korean economic cooperation projects unconditionally, officials said.
"The most important part is whether the North is willing to talk with the international community to resolve the nuclear issue. If it keeps ignoring international calls, it will be difficult for us to move inter-Korean relations forward," a Cheong Wa Dae spokesman said.
Some analysts, however, cautiously predict that Lee may propose talks with North Korea or other cooperative measures to make a breakthrough in stalled inter-Korean relations.
"The situation depends on how North Korea will react," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies. "As long as the South keeps linking inter-Korean cooperation to the nuclear issue and the North doesn't regard the Lee administration as a partner, South-North relations won't see a turning point."
On Thursday, Pyongyang released a South Korean worker it has detained for more than four months in a rare fence-mending gesture, raising hopes of refreshing inter-Korean relations.
It is not yet clear whether Lee will comment on the detention issue in his Liberation Day speech.
Lee will address many domestic issues, including the government's plan to promote "green growth" and the boycott of parliamentary sessions by opposition parties due to the recent unilateral passage of media-related bills. He also may announce new measures targeting ordinary citizens and less-privileged people.
Early next week, he is expected to announce a new Cabinet and presidential secretaries line-up, which will be tasked with creating a fresh momentum for the Lee administration under new policy goals.