South Reassesses N. Korea’s Motives
By Kim Sue-young
Staff Reporter
North Korea has agreed to resume suspended tour programs and the reunion of displaced families, measures which are much more "generous" than widely expected.
A North Korea watcher here speculated that the secretive state's "softer attitude" may lead to inter-Korean talks in the future and, possibly, changes in the nuclear issue.
"The surprise agreement might have resulted from North Korea's struggle for survival by improving relations with South Korea and the United States, and overcoming their financial difficulties," Professor Yoo Ho-yeol of Korea University in Seoul told The Korea Times.
The North's agreements could jumpstart its relations with the United States and South Korea, and possibly change Pyongyang's attitude toward the nuclear issue, he added.
On the other hand, the North could be trying to take separate approaches toward the nuclear issue and private exchanges, the professor said.
"For example, North Korea may seek to talk about the nuclear issue with the United States while wanting to promote exchanges at private level with South Korea," he said.
But he was cautious to analyze North Korea's real intention and future direction, saying it is necessary to watch further developments.
"Consultations with South Korean authorities are required to resume Mt. Geumgang tours and the reunion of separated families, so we should take time to watch North Korea's future course of action," Yoo said.
Professor Yang Moo-jin at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul said North Korea's favors could drive the South Korean government into a dilemma.
"The North is taking progressive action in inter-Korean economic cooperation but the South Korean government has been leading sanctions against North Korea," he said. "The South could be caught between a rock and a hard place."
President Lee Myung-bak said Saturday in a speech marking Liberation Day that the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is a premise for improved relations between the two Koreas.
The North Korea expert also cast a murky view on the future implementation of the accord made between the Hyundai Group and the North's Asia-Pacific Peace Committee.
"The Unification Ministry said it would do its utmost to facilitate the reunion of displaced families but the agreement promised the resumption of this last," Yang said.
"My understanding is that this means North Korea will decide whether or not to keep the last promise in accordance with the progress of the previous offers stipulated above."
Saying that troubleshooting could come from a simple paradigm shift, Yang suggested that the government could solve the nuclear issue by first making advances in inter-Korean relations.