By Michael Ha
Staff Reporter
The Unification Ministry urged Pyongyang Monday to stop making hostile and inflammatory comments against the South.
North Korean authorities and their state-controlled media issued New Year's commentaries that strongly rebuked the Lee Myung-bak administration. The commentaries from Pyongyang also urged South Korean citizens to ``rise up'' and fight against what they described as President Lee's ``fascist'' government.
Unification Ministry Spokesman Kim Ho-nyun said that these inflammatory commentaries violate inter-Korean accords that call on governments not to interfere in each other's internal matters.
``In the New Year's joint commentaries, North Korea has once again come out with a strong condemnation of the South Korean government. These commentaries also contain inflammatory phrases and messages containing propaganda,'' the spokesman told reporters. ``There are a lot of things we would like to say to the North as well. But we will be patient, and we will refrain from exchanging hostile comments with Pyongyang, he said.
``Our government's position is that Pyongyang should cease issuing these kinds of hostile comments because such statements directly contradict inter-Korean agreements. The two Koreas have agreed that we would not interfere in each other's internal matters."
In particular, the spokesman mentioned the Oct. 4, 2007, Summit Declaration, an inter-Korean accord that Pyongyang insists should be implemented expeditiously by the Lee administration.
``But even this Oct. 4 Declaration stipulates that two Koreas should transcend their ideological differences and transform inter-Korean relations into one of mutual respect and trust. The accord also states that we should not interfere in each other's internal issues,'' Kim said.
``North Korea must stop trying to create internal strife in the South Korean society," he said. ``We are always ready to engage in dialogue with the North.''
In its New Year's joint commentaries, North Korean media said President Lee has revealed his hostile stance against the North and labeled the Lee administration as an ``anti-unification regime.''
Over the weekend, North Korea issued a statement calling on South Korean citizens to rise up and revolt against the Lee administration. It called on South Koreans to stand together and defeat the ``fascist rule of the conservative government.''
North Korean authorities blasted the Lee administration as being ``intent on creating a dictatorship'' that brings back a confrontational policy against the North. It also said the current South Korean government should be blamed for not implementing the June 15, 2000 and Oct. 4, 2004 Summit Declarations and for turning back the clock on inter-Korean ties.
The North Korean statement, however, suggested that it may be ready to improve relations with the United States and the incoming Barack Obama administration. It said that Pyongyang ``will develop relations with the countries that are friendly to us.''