'Reunification in 20 to 30 Years': President Kim

President Kim Dae-jung remarked on August 18 that the complete reunification of the Korean Peninsula would not be achieved within his lifetime and would probably take 20 to 30 years.

In an interview with CNN, the President said,"I'll do my best to consolidate peace and facilitate exchange. (But) if something that hasn't been done for a long time is rushed," he added,"nothing may come to fruition."

The president also said, "the desire of 10 million separated families to reunite with their relatives is the most human of all needs." He further noted that he would arrange more meetings, enable families to place phone calls to each other, and would even allow families to choose to live wherever they wish.

The president said another war would mean an end to the Korean people and that neither reunification by force nor by absorption is desirable.

He also called for a North-South military hotline and a meeting of defense ministers to consolidate peace on the Korean Peninsula. He also noted the importance of the four-way talks between the two Koreas, China and the United States.

The president said Kim Jong-il was eager to re-establish diplomatic relations with the United States and was not hostile when the issue of U.S. troops was brought up.

by Kim Jin-kook