DUP pushes for regular inter-Korean summits

By Kim Young-jin

The main opposition Democratic Unity Party (DUP) said Thursday it would push to hold regular summits with North Korea among other reconciliatory gestures as it rolled out its policy toward Pyongyang ahead of crucial National Assembly elections next month.

Among other pledges, the DUP said it would also actively seek a peace treaty between the two countries, still technically at war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, after reaching agreements with the United States, China, Japan and Russia.

The unveiling of the policy, observers say, could have an impact on the presidential election in December.

The party said it would push to hold prime ministers’ talks as stipulated in a previous agreement made during an inter-Korean summit as well as talks amongst politicians.

The DUP also hopes to push for an inter-Korean economic community through joint projects, with an eye toward an opening to China, Russia and Europe.

Cross-border tension has been high since the conservative Lee Myung-bak administration rolled back a decade of engagement and linked the provision of aid to denuclearization steps by the North; and soared after the North attacked the South twice in 2010.

The icy ties followed a decade of “reconciliation” led by successive liberal administrations, though the North is known to have quickly advanced its nuclear program during that time.

Though inter-Korean relations remain behind the economy and job creation when it comes to front burner issues ahead of the elections, polls have shown a swing towards engagement with the North following the death of its late ruler Kim Jong-il in December.

The conservative camp seems to be playing catch-up when it comes to how to deal with Pyongyang with a recent poll by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies showing nearly 42 percent of people believe the DUP is the most capable party to manage inter-Korean relations compared to 31.3 percent who said the ruling Saenuri Party was.