Opposition Parties Suspicious of Summit Announcement

The three opposition parties, the Grand National Party(GNP), the United Liberal Democrats (ULD), and the National People's Party (NPP), are denouncing the recent summit meeting news as a government manoeuvre to win the coming elections.

The parties jointly suggested that there were covert discussions leading up to the agreement on a summit meeting. Lee Won-chang with the GNP alleged that "considering the government's previous dealings and it being swindled out of millions of dollars for a now-cancelled music concert, it is evident that the government paid billions of dollars this time." Also, ULD spokesman, Byun Woong-jeon demanded that the government clarify whether they have agreed to North Korea's pre-conditions for an abolishment of the National Security Law and the withdrawl of U.S. forces from the peninsula.

Lee also pointed out that the government's news statement yesterday had the president going to the summit "at Kim Jeong-il's invitation" whereas North Korea reported that "there would be a summit at the request of President Kim." He surmised that the government might have "begged" for the summit meeting to benefit them in the coming elections.

The opposition party attacks continued with NPP spokesman Kim Chul underscoring growing suspicions about the "announcement three days before election day for a summit to be held in June. This is part of a government scheme to win the elections."

Kim and Byun were also highly doubtful of the negotiation process and conduction of the proposed meetings. "The minister of Culture and Tourism was the South's negotiator. Yet, North Korea being represented by the vice-chairman of the Asia and Pacific Peace Committee is totally out of balance," said the spokesmen. They further criticized that "it is problematic to hold meetings only in Pyongyang even though summit meetings should be held in both countries."

by Lee Sang-il