[Editorial] Improving inter-Korean relations requires a bold effort from Seoul

Posted on : 2015-05-02 19:47 KST Modified on : 2015-05-02 19:47 KST

So much for the chance of senior officials from Seoul and Pyongyang meeting at a ceremony to be held in Moscow on May 9, the 70th anniversary of the Allies’ victory in World War II. Not only has it been confirmed that Kim Jong-un will not attend the event, but it is unlikely that any senior North Korean officials will attend either.

This is even more regrettable considering the increasing need to improve inter-Korean relations as the alliance between the US and Japan grows stronger. Regardless of this development, we hope that the South Korean government will increase its efforts to improve inter-Korean relations.

When asked why Kim Jong-un would not be attending the event, Russian officials said the decision was connected with internal issues in North Korea. However, no noticeable changes have been detected inside the North.

It is more likely that there was a hitch as North Korea and Russia tried to hammer out the agenda. This may have involved North Korean demands for Russian aid or the protocol for treatment of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Kim’s decision not to attend was a mistake in the sense that he missed an opportunity to burnish North Korea’s international image and to work on relations with South Korea. President Park Geun-hye also moved too quickly to decline the invitation to attend the event.

On May 1, the South Korean government announced that it would promote civilian exchange between North and South Korea and increase the scope of its humanitarian support and cooperation with North Korea. It is also planning to work with North Korean officials on joint projects in the areas of culture, history, and sports.

While such plans are encouraging, inter-Korean relations are in such a bind that there are limits on how much tangible progress can be made. Another problem is that the apparent changes in the government’s attitude are oriented toward short-term goals, focusing on the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule.

Now is the time to plot a course for inter-Korean relations and to move forward on that course. Promoting gradual exchange and cooperation is also important, but what is needed is bold action that clearly expresses the government’s resolve.

We must also make the most of the upcoming visit to North Korea by Lee Hee-ho, director of the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center and widow of former President Kim Dae-jung.

North Korea needs to become more flexible and come to the table for talks. Recently, the North Korean authorities have claimed that not only the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle joint military exercises by South Korea and the US, which ended on Apr. 24, but also other military drills, the North Korean human rights resolution, and the launch of balloons carrying propaganda leaflets into North Korea are all obstacles to dialogue.

It’s hard to move forward with talks when the North is making demands that can’t even be discussed until inter-Korean relations have improved. North Korea is also insisting on its unilateral position on the issue of wages at the Kaesong Industrial Complex. We hope that North Korea will take stock of how it looks to the world.

Currently, there are indications that the adversarial relationship between the US and Japan on the one side and China and Russia on the other is becoming permanent. The pretext for this relationship is tension between North and South Korea. It is unlikely that this relationship will change unless North and South Korea take action to change it. Most important of all are the will and action of the South Korean government.

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]

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