hankyoreh

U.S. special representative for North Korea policy

By Son Won-je, Staff Writer

Analysts have voiced cautious speculation that inter-Korean relations, which reached a peak of confrontation after the Lee Myung-bak government came to power, may have reached a turning point.

The background to their claims comes from a series of positive actions and suggestions from North Korea related to humanitarian issues. On Sept. 10, in a notice sent in the name of the North Korean Red Cross to the Republic of Korea National Red Cross. North Korea suggested reunions for separated families at Mt. Kumgang in North Korea around the time of Chuseok (Sept. 21-23). Previously on Sept. 4, North Korea requested rice, heavy equipment and cement from South Korea as flood relief. In a surprising move on Sept. 7, it returned the South Korean squid boat Daesung more than a month after seizing it.

This chain of events occurring in three-day intervals has been interpreted as a gesture of conciliation by North Korea to the international community and South Korea in order to overcome two layers of sanctions imposed upon it because of the nuclear issue and blame for the sinking of the Cheonan. North Korea stated in its notice on Sept. 10 that it hoped the separated families’ reunion would mark the beginning of increased inter-Korean humanitarian cooperation.

The mood in South Korea is also one of a positive, albeit limited, response. The state has decided to provide rice aid under the pretext of disaster relief. A high-ranking government official revealed a point of South Korea’s strategy for talks with North Korea, by saying that South Korea would suggest regular meetings for separated families during inter-Korean Red Cross Talks to discuss Chuseok reunions.

Neighboring countries have also been moving at a more rapid pace. Following his visit to North Korea from Aug. 16 to 18, Wu Dawei, special representative of the Chinese government on the Korean Peninsular affairs, has visited South Korea, Japan and the United States in succession to discuss resuming six-party talks.

Stephen Bosworth, U.S. special representative for North Korea policy, plans to travel to Tokyo and Beijing following his visit to South Korea on Sept. 12. Some have also speculated that a behind-closed-doors contact between North Korea and South Korea has already taken place. Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun reported that high-level officials from North Korea and South Korea held a secret meeting in mid-August in the North Korean city of Kaesong.

It appears that North Korea’s flurry of positive signals to South Korea is, for now, due to its desperate need for external economic cooperation in order to overcome its damage from severe flooding and economic problems.

Kurt Campbell, U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs said recently in regards to six-party talks, “For any progress to occur, it is important that some kind of conciliatory measures take place between North Korea and South Korea.”

With regard to this, some have interpreted North Korea’s recent actions toward South Korea as a type of response to the U.S. demands.

Experts have been watching for possible effects on inter-Korean relations resulting from the suggestion of Chuseok reunions. Some also point out that North Korea may expect such a meeting will positively impact public opinion of North Korea in South Korea.

The crucial issue now is whether both countries can reconcile their differing opinions regarding the Cheonan incident. The Lee Myung-bak government’s attitude was originally that the issue of large-scale food aid would be reciprocally resolved in conjunction with humanitarian issues such as normalizing Chuseok reunions and the return of kidnapping victims and prisoners of war. After the sinking of the Cheonan, however, South Korea changed its policy to one of linking such issues to an initial expression of apology and prevention of recurrence on the part of the North Korea regarding the sinking.

A Cheong Wa Dae (the presidential office in South Korea or Blue House) official said, “A sincere attitude on the part of North Korea regarding the Cheonan is needed for an overall restoration of relations including large-scale governmental food aid.”

One former high official of the Ministry of Unification said, “If South Korea wants to avoid spoiling another opportunity to improve relations, it must take more action itself, such as increasing aid to North Korea, concurrently with its demands for sincerity.”

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