By Na Jeong-ju
South Korea will stick to its policy of linking the resumption of talks with North Korea apologizing for last year’s deadly attacks on the South, Unification Minister Hyun In-taek said.
He ruled out the possibility that Seoul’s tough stance on Pyongyang’s nuclear brinkmanship and military provocations would change, saying the North should show sincerity first to improve the situation.
“We have no intention of sacrificing our principle of securing an apology from North Korea for the attacks on the warship Cheonan and Yeonpyeong Island for the sake of the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue,” Hyun said during a security forum in Seoul, Saturday.
“Any dialogue overlooking North Korea’s provocations won’t lead to peace on the Korean Peninsula. We reject such dialogue.” The remarks came amid proposals that the Lee Myung-bak administration reshape its hardline policy toward Pyongyang to make a breakthrough in the stalled inter-Korean relations.
Last week, some junior lawmakers of the ruling Grand National Party, including Nam Kyung-pil and Kwon Young-se, called on Lee to start productive talks with the North first to resolve pending issues between the two Koreas.
“Lee’s policy of linking economic exchanges and aid to North Korea’s denuclearization efforts and emphasizing receiving an apology for last year’s attacks won’t improve the situation,” Kwon said.
Pyongyang continues to deny that it sank the Cheonan, and claimed its bombardment of Yeonpyeong was provoked by the South Korean military’s artillery drill.
Referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il’s latest visit to China, Minister Hyun said, “China achieved its prosperity through bold reforms and an opening up. I sincerely hope North Korea follows China’s precedent. The North could see a bright future only if it adopts reforms and less isolation.” Speaking to a separate forum on the southern resort island of Jeju, Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik urged Pyongyang to demonstrate its denuclearization commitment and sincerity for inter-Korean talks.
“There is a need to confirm North Korea’s genuineness because the six-party nuclear talks should be a venue to make practical progress for denuclearization,” Kim told the annual Jeju Peace Forum.