By Kang Seung-woo
President Park Geun-hye’s harsh criticism of the North Korean regime is undermining possible progress in the frosty inter-Korean ties, a North Korea expert said Monday.
South and North Korea have been talking about non-governmental level projects, including joint celebrations of the historic June 15, 2000 inter-Korean summit and of Korea’s 1945 liberation from Japanese colonial rule.
”President Park’s direct reference to the North’s fear-based rule has triggered a violent reaction in Pyongyang ― it has practically dashed all hopes of improving relations between the two Koreas this year,” said Cheong Seong-chang, head of unification strategy research at the Sejong Institute.
Park said at a Teachers’ Day ceremony, Friday, that the North’s recent provocations and reign of terror were shocking South Koreans, raising concerns about the future.
Her remark came two days after the National Intelligence Service (NIS) announced that North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un had defense minister Hyon Yong-chol executed for disloyalty.
The repressive state has denounced Park for a second straight day, calling her a “venomous sneak.”
”She would be well advised to bear in mind that such venomous tongue-wagging will only precipitate her tragic end,” said the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).
Uriminzokkiri, a North Korea propaganda website, also criticized Park for “insulting” its supreme leader.
The two Koreas have been in a wage dispute since the North unilaterally decided in February to demand a wage increase of 5.18 percent to $74 a month for about 53,000 North Korean workers at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex.
Seoul’s unification ministry said Monday that it had proposed holding a meeting with the North, Wednesday, to resolve the issue, but the proposal was rejected.
In addition, former first lady Lee Hee-ho’s planned visit to the North has been delayed because of no response from the reclusive country ― nearly a month after proposing talks to arrange a trip across the border. Lee is the widow of the late former President Kim Dae-jung, who held the first inter-Korean summit with then North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in 2000.
The two sides are now at odds over where joint celebrations should be held.
”I wonder if the President should have made such a comment at an event to praise the service of teachers,” Cheong said. “It would have been enough for the foreign minister or the NIS to do this.
”We may have to brace for a possible military confrontation amid growing tension on the peninsula, rather than preparing for unification.”
Amid lower expectations of any improvement in inter-Korean ties, Cheong Wa Dae said President Park regarded the security situation as unstable.
”Unless we strongly deal with the current situation, no one knows how far the North will go now,” said an official at Park’s office.
Another official said the North’s provocative threats may not end up just as rhetoric, and that Park’s message was a warning to Pyongyang.