hankyoreh

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun considers the second inter-Korea summit a turning point toward establishing a so-called peace regime on the Korean peninsula, despite the North's attempts in recent years to build up its nuclear weapon programs. Roh is aiming for a bigger draw of multilateral security cooperation in Northeast Asia, which would replace the "Cold War regime" remaining on the peninsula. Even if the president was tooting his own horn somewhat during a press conference on September 11, his remarks reflected a sense of confidence that peace and co-prosperity -- goals for which President Roh's participatory government have consistently pushed -- are in fact finally bearing fruit.

Such a sense of confidence from the president was clearly shown in his replies to questions as to what he will discuss at the summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il regarding a proposed peace treaty to end the Korean War. President Roh said at the press conference, "The problem of signing a peace treaty is a core issue of the upcoming summit, not merely a suggestion.'' The president has already indicated the possibility that he and Kim Jong-il will share their feelings about the issue and/or reach an agreement upon it.

In line with these plans, South Korean Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung said at a separate press conference, "In the written agreement regarding the inter-Korea summit announced on August 5, the first issue stated was that of settling peace on the Korean peninsula.''

Roh's confidence in making the forthcoming summit a turning point to establishing a peace regime might be due to recent progress on several matters. The first is related to the North's nuclear programs. U.S. President George W. Bush mentioned at a press conference on August 31 that the North's nuclear problem will likely end sometime in the near future, and President Roh also recently remarked that the matter is almost at its conclusion. At the bilateral talks held in Geneva on September 1-2, Pyongyang and Washington agreed with the disablement of the North's nuclear programs within the year. North Korea, as if in a further show of support for this proposal, invited a U.S.-led delegation of nuclear technicians to be present for the disabling process at its nuclear facilities. North Korea has thus taken its first substantial steps toward disablement of its nuclear programs.

President Roh's position is that it will not be necessary to urge the North to resolve its nuclear problem under these circumstances. Regarding the fact that the opposition camp maintains the North Korea nuclear issue should be a core issue of the second summit, President Roh said he feels the opposition hopes for a verbal spar with Kim. ``How could the atmosphere of the summit be smooth if I emphasize the nuclear problem, which is already being resolved?'' asked President Roh at the press conference. ``There can be a declaration of peace, or the beginning of negotiations, at the upcoming summit. And if there are any negotiations, they will be a series of negotiations toward a peace regime from a postwar regime,'' predicted Roh.

The other matter that is perhaps behind President Roh's confidence regarding the possibilities inherent in the upcoming inter-Korean summit is the fact that he has confirmed President Bush and Chinese leader Hu Jintao's willingness to establish a peace regime on the Korean peninsula. This occurred at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Sydney earlier this month. In connection with President Roh's summit meetings with the two leaders at the APEC meeting, the Presidential Office mentioned that the leaders discussed details on resolving the North Korea nuclear issue and establishing a "peace regime" on the peninsula, as well as building a multilateral security and cooperation system in Northeast Asia further down the road, through continued contact among the leaders.

President Roh said that he considers the inter-Korea summit as a continuation of these contacts with the leaders most involved in the peace process. "I met Hu and Bush," he told reporters at the September 11 press conference. "If I meet Kim in October, I will have met all of the major figures with whom we can talk to establish a so-called peace regime in a very short period of time."