GNP chairman calls for resumption of rice aid to N.Korea

Posted on : 2010-08-24 14:04 KST Modified on : 2010-08-24 14:04 KST
Ahn’s proposal has been viewed as an exit strategy to improve inter-Korean relations and a way to address surplus rice stores
 Seoul
Seoul

By Lee Jung-ae

  

The ruling Grand National Party (GNP) has voiced support for resuming rice aid to North Korea on humanitarian grounds, but the Lee Myung-bak administration has responded negatively, saying that it is not examining the issue of resuming rice aid.

GNP Chairman Ahn Sang-soo reportedly pressed the Lee administration to consider restarting rice aid, saying in a meeting of nine party and government leaders Sunday afternoon that rice aid could open up dialogue with North Korea and would be good for local farmers by reducing surpluses.

Ahn’s proposal is believed to be in accordance with a judgment that with the flood damage in North Korea, the aid issue needed to be considered as an exit strategy to improve inter-Korean relations. It would also address demands by lawmakers from rural districts for measures to deal with rice stores, which have surpassed their limit, ahead of the autumnal purchase of harvest grain by the government.

After Ahn issued his proposal, Liberty Forward Party (LFP) Chairman Lee Hoi-chang also voiced support.

“Floods in North Korea will bring starvation to a country with an already difficult food situation,” said Lee during a meeting with party officials Monday. “The government should study plans to send rice to North Korea from overflowing supplies in South Korea as humanitarian aid for North Koreans hit by the disaster.”

Unification Ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung issued a statement in response during a briefing on Monday.

“Due to the May 24 measures taken against North Korea following the sinking of the Cheonan, aid programs for North Korea have been suspended in principle, although aid for children and the weakest classes will continue,” said Chun. “The government is not currently considering the issue of resuming rice aid.”

A key government official said, “As I understand it, no opinion on this matter has been formed within the GNP itself, and there is no possibility at the present moment of the government sending aid to North Korea preemptively.”

Perhaps due to the negative reaction, Ahn met with reporters Monday and said restarting rice aid to North Korea would be a good remedy to reduce overflowing rice stores and resolve the blockage in inter-Korean relations, but with the unresolved issue of the Cheonan and the United States placing sanctions on North Korea, it would not be easy to send aid to North Korea.

Meanwhile, Wu Dawei, China’s vice foreign minister and special representative for Korean Peninsular affairs, will reportedly visit South Korea in the near future to discuss the issue of resuming the six-party talks. Wu is scheduled to begin full-scale diplomatic efforts to restart the six-party talks with visits to all countries involved, taking with him a proposal to restart the talks agreed upon with North Korea during a visit to Pyongyang from Aug. 16 to 18.

High-ranking diplomatic officials in Beijing said Monday that Wu also reported relevant news to South Korea following his visit to Pyongyang, and planned to visit all the six-party talk nations, starting with South Korea and including Japan, the United States and Russia.

A high-ranking diplomatic official said, “The South Korean government’s position has been that the sinking of the Cheonan killed 46 innocent people, so the country could not return to dialogue as if nothing happened.” The official went on to say, “The South Korean government consider a standard for North Korea to show sincerity, and must watch to see how the situation develops.”

Japan’s Mainichi Shimbun reported Saturday that during a meeting with former Japanese Liberal Democratic Party official Koichi Kato, who visited China last week, Wu revealed that North Korea had agreed to a plan to first hold unofficial six-party talks led by the delegation heads.

  

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

 

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