By Do Je-hae
Staff Reporter
Ahead of Obama's inauguration on Jan. 20, Song Min-soon, Korea's former foreign minister and now a lawmaker of the opposition Democratic Party (DP), has put forward a set of bold North Korea policy proposals.
His online essay ``A Grand National Pact on North Korea (Grand Pact),’’ drew keen media attention, especially in view of the current stalemate in inter-Korean relations.
The writer was motivated by concerns that Seoul's inconsistent policies toward Pyongyang will end up undermining South Korea's designs for national security and unification and make the government unable to take full advantage of the opportunities that might arise from Obama's new approach.
Under present strains between the two Koreas, a U.S. policy of constructive engagement with North Korea might sideline the South. Conversely, if the new course fails and North Korea continues to proceed with its nuclear development program, the U.S. pressure on North Korea will be heightened and might include military implications.
``The way out of such an impasse is to establish a domestic bipartisan consensus on North Korea policy through the Grand Pact,’’ he said in a Korea Times interview. ``It is basically designed to enable North Korea policies to be implemented consistently and shield them from being tampered by short-term political gains,’’ added Song.
With the Grand Pact, a South Korean president would no longer be constrained by a single five-year term. ``Historically, the five-year presidency has been too short to build a lasting legacy in inter-Korean relations,’’ said Song. ``The 'Grand Pact' would prevent policy interruptions and enable South Korea to coordinate with other countries on North Korean denuclearization in a consistent way.’’
Asked what exactly the pact would entail, Song stressed the need for the South Korean government to implement the three major agreements reached between the two Koreas since the end of the Cold War; the 1992 Inter-Korean Basic Agreement and the declarations following the inter-Korean summits on June 15, 2000 and October 4, 2007, reached under different administrations but outlining mutually accommodating actions. The 1992 Basic Agreement calls for mutual recognition, military confidence building, arms reduction, and the restraint of slander. The 2000 North-South Joint Declaration stressed economic, social, and cultural cooperation, as well as independent efforts for reunification. The 2007 Declaration for Advancing Inter-Korean Relations, Peace and Prosperity placed priority on economic cooperation and investment.
In addition, Song was emphatic in pointing out how the pact could be conducive to resolving the North Korean nuclear issue. ``Aside from consistency in North Korea policy, it will also be crucial in resolving the North Korean nuclear problem because the 2007 inter-Korean summit declaration explicitly states that the two Koreas must 'jointly endeavor to smoothly implement the September 19 Joint Declaration and February 13 Agreement of the six-party talks,’’’ added Song.
To jump start the Grand Pact, Song urged the Korean government to take the decisive lead in implementing the foregoing agreements and seeking reciprocal North Korean actions, the absence of which would justify South Korea's subsequent turn toward firm measures.
For Song, the Grand Pact epitomizes all the goals and ideals he has pursued throughout his career, centering on national reunification as well as peace and cooperation in Northeast Asia.
During the previous Roh Moo-hyun administration, Song served as Korea's chief negotiator in the six-party talks, National Security adviser and foreign affairs minister. Since his departure from a thirty-year foreign service career in February 2008, he joined the opposition Democratic Party and was elected to the National Assembly in April.