President Lee Myung-bak must sent a reliable aide to North Korea, with acceptance of the June 15 and October 4 declarations as a precondition, and realize the holding of an inter-Korean summit, former President Kim Dae-jung urged Tuesday.

In a speech at a lecture on peace on the Korean Peninsula held at the 63 Building in Yeouido to celebrate the eighth anniversary of Kim’s being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, the former president stated, “Whatever happens, South-North relations must not return to the Cold War era. If that happens, both sides will suffer a ruinous blow.”

He also said that pledging to carrying out the June 15 and October 4 declarations was essential to resolving issues in inter-Korean relations, adding that “as a natural duty, the Lee Myung-bak administration must formally recognize these two declarations.”

Former President Kim also noted, “Even if the administration has changed, it is an international principle to carry on intact the rights and responsibilities established in the previous administration.”

He added, “We are faced now with three crises: a crisis of democracy a crisis of the working class economy, and a crisis in inter-Korean relations,” and said that everyone must participate in overcoming these three crises.

At the end of his speech, the former President cried as he said, “Let us maintain the peace, let us restore inter-Korean dialogue, and let us guard the efforts realized through 10 years of reconciliation and cooperation.”

Former United States Ambassador to Korea James Laney gave another talk Tuesday on the theme of “the new American government and peace on the Korean Peninsula,” interpreting the meaning of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama’s North Korea policy as “direct, sustainable and active diplomacy” and stating, “The urgency of direct dialogue between North Korea and the U.S. cannot be emphasized enough.”

Laney noted, “We could envision sending a special envoy to North Korea as a direct, original and powerful method of testing North Korea’s intentions regarding nuclear dismantlement,” suggesting former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former North Korea Policy Coordinator William Perry and former Senator Sam Nunn as strong candidates for the position of special envoy.

In connection with predicted changes in the Korean Peninsula’s strategic situation following the inauguration of the Obama administration, former Unification Minister Lim Dong-won urged South and North Korea to take the initiative in carrying out five major tasks: building a system of peace, building an inter-Korean economic community, realizing arms controls, forming an “inter-Korean union” and establishing a Northeast Asian regional security cooperative body.

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