hankyoreh

By Son Won-je, Staff Writer

The National Intelligence Service-affiliated Institute for National Security Strategy issued a report Sunday predicting that North Korea may invade the Five West Sea Islands, including Baengnyeong and Yeonpyeong Islands, during 2011, and that it may also make sudden overtures to improve inter-Korean relations.
In an annual report published Sunday on prospects for the political situation on the Korean Peninsula, the INSS said, “With regard to the succession system, there is a strong chance that North Korea’s provocations will continue in a variety of forms” during 2011.
The analysis also said, “There is a possibility that a breakthrough [in inter-Korean relations] could emerge during the middle of 2011 through the mediation of the U.S. and China.”
“There is potential for North Korea to wage a variety of appeasement measures, including reunions among separated families, as a way of avoiding Chinese pressure and sanctions from the international community, gaining aid, and improving relations with the U.S.,” the report continued.
Accordingly, the report advised the government to “consider preemptively proposing military talks to determine responsibility for the military clash on the West Sea and prevent similar events from occurring in the future, or high-level talks to discuss many different issues in inter-Korean relations, while at the same time maintaining a powerful military deterrent.”
On the North Korean nuclear issue, the report recommended that the government “seize the agenda in anticipation of negotiations on the nuclear issue and propose a peace regime that the Kim Jong-un succession system can choose over a nuclear program.”
The report also announced that North Korea designated Kim Jong-un’s birthday of Jan. 8 as a national memorial day this year, and that it organized the special team “130 Sangmu” in January to crack down on corruption of public morals.

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