GNP Calls for Disciplined Summit
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
The main opposition Grand National Party (GNP) said Tuesday that President Roh Moo-hyun should draw a clear line between what he should and shouldn't do and then faithfully follow the outline at the inter-Korean summit.
The pro-government party, meanwhile, hailed the summit and said that leaders of South and North Korea should work toward durable peace and strengthen economic ties between the two Koreas.
Leaders of the conservative GNP expressed hopes that the two leaders have meaningful summit talks.
They, however, urged the President to abide by the Constitution and be prepared to get approval from the public if he promises any economic packages to the North that will burden citizens.
``It was right for Roh to have said that he ``would not be overly ambitious'' during the summit in a speech before his departure for Pyongyang,'' GNP spokesman Rep. Park Heong-joon said.
``It is inappropriate for the President, however, to have said that he ``would not restrain himself nor set any restrictions,'' Park continued.
Park said there are things that the President is allowed to do at the summit but at the same time there are certain things that he should not do.
``The second summit is a good opportunity for South Koreans to figure out if the North is fully prepared to give up its military-first and brinkmanship diplomacy and pursue a more cooperative partner,'' he said.
Park said the summit will be able to pull together a credible outcome only when Roh convinces Kim to disable its nuclear facilities and open the economy.
Rep. Lee Nak-yon, spokesman of the pro-government United New Democratic Party (UNDP), expressed ``best wishes'' to the two leaders and the party ``will look closely at how the talks go and assess the outcome later.''
``It is not desirable for presidential hopefuls to attempt to use the summit talks for political purposes in the presidential election,'' Lee continued. ``The opposite is also true. Conservatives should not oppose the talks because of the December presidential election.''
Floor leader Kim Hyo-seuk of the UNDP said that he was ``moved'' by the scene of President Roh and First Lady Kwon Yang-suk walking into the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) televised live worldwide. Kim said the three-point theme of peace, the economy and reunification will feature at the summit.
The Democratic Party (DP) and the Democratic Labor Party (DLP) also welcomed the summit.
They expressed hope that President Roh and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il will pull together a meaningful outcome for peace.