By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
It would be hard for Pyongyang to attract massive investment from large businesses in the South if it fails to create a market-friendly business environment, presidential nominee Lee Myung-bak of the Grand National Party (GNP) said Wednesday.
Lee, 65, said that South Korean business leaders would consider investing in the North only when they are convinced that the North has the market and runs pro-business practices.
``Therefore, President Roh Moo-hyun should inform the North Korean leader that massive investment would come when the North has such supportive measures and infrastructure helping these businesses,'' he said.
Lee stressed that political rhetoric made in the joint declaration, which was signed during the inter-Korean summit last week, will not make any difference in making the struggling economy work.
The former mayor of Seoul stood firm on the security issues.
He made it clear that the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea should remain intact until the reunification of the Korean Peninsula is realized.
``This is because the presence of NLL will help ease military tensions and work for peace on the peninsula,'' he said.
Lee said he has plans to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, if elected president. He said that the venue should be in the South Korean territory, not North Korea.
Lee made it clear that his vision for diplomacy and foreign policy is primarily based on two core principles _ pragmatism and economic realism.
``I think that bolstering the Korea-U.S. alliance matters mainly because it will serve the long-term economic interests of the country as well as security in Northeast Asia,'' Lee said.
``Keeping the alliance intact also counts because it will help move the U.S.-North Korea relations forward, which are now in a good position once Pyongyang follows up with measures for the disablement of its nuclear programs.''
He said he will put the top foreign policy priority on energy diplomacy and will meet foreign leaders to expand ties in the areas of natural resources and energy.