Pres. Park says she’s “relieved” about Kim Jong-un’s mention of possible summit

Posted on : 2015-01-07 15:57 KST Modified on : 2019-10-19 20:29 KST
North Korea has still not responded to Seoul’s recent offer of dialogue; they could respond after Kim Jong-un’s birthday on Jan. 8
 at the Blue House
at the Blue House

On Jan. 6, President Park Geun-hye spoke positively about the New Year’s address by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in which he mentioned the possibility of a summit with President Park. “I was relieved to hear him express a better attitude toward inter-Korean dialogue and exchange,” Park said.

This was the first time that Park referred directly to Kim’s address.

“This is the 70th year since the liberation of Korea from Japanese colonial rule and since Korea was divided into North and South. We must work hard to lay the groundwork for overcoming the pain of division and to usher in the age of unification of the Korean peninsula,” Park said on Tuesday as she led the first cabinet meeting of the year.

Park’s positive assessment of the New Year‘s address delivered by Kim Jong-un is seen as indicating that she means to maintain the momentum for inter-Korean dialogue that began to pick up at the end of 2014.

“In the past, North and South Korea have failed to achieve lasting results in their relationship and there have been many twists and turns. For this reason, at the present moment, the important thing is for North Korea to take action that will demonstrate its sincerity and commitment to improving inter-Korean relations,” Park said.

“I hope that North Korea will quickly come to the table of dialogue and cooperation with us, have a real discussion with us about concrete projects for achieving peace and unification of the Korean peninsula.”

The remarks by Park appear to have been prompted by concerns inside the South Korean government about the fact that Pyongyang is waiting longer than expected to respond to Seoul’s proposal for dialogue.

On Dec. 29, 2014, the South Korean government used its Unification Preparatory Committee to make an offer for dialogue with North Korea. After the New Year’s address by the North Korean leader, Seoul sweetened the pot even further by promising not to insist on protocol.

“The delay in North Korea’s response is probably not a good sign. Hopefully, they will give their answer after Kim Jong-un‘s birthday on Jan. 8. If they wait too long, we could lose momentum,” said a government official on condition of anonymity.

One prediction is that North Korea will respond after President Park holds her New Year’s press conference.

But Park’s message might not enough to persuade North Korea, either in terms of substance and logic.

“President Park ought to have gone further, by asking civilian groups to refrain from launching balloons filled with propaganda leaflets into North Korea, for example. There is still a lack of trust between North and South Korea on the issue. It’s not very persuasive for Park to ask North Korea to demonstrate its sincerity without doing anything herself,” said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies.

In related news, the South Korean government has given the green light for civic groups that want to send small amounts of fertilizer aid to North Korea.

“Two organizations have asked permission to provide small amounts of fertilizer to North Korea. The fertilizer would be used in greenhouses and on farms,” a Ministry of Unification official told reporters on Tuesday.

“The government’s position is that small amounts of fertilizer, enough for setting up greenhouses, may be provided as aid in a transparent manner,” the official said.

However, the official stated that the government would not consider aid projects involving large amounts of fertilizer.

 

By Yi Yong-in, staff reporter and Seok Jin-hwan, Blue House correspondent

 

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