Opposition Leader, In Russia, Sketches North Korea Policy

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Opposition Leader, In Russia, Sketches North Korea Policy

Opposition leader Lee Hoi-chang's six-day Russia visit that started Wednesday is providing a forum for the presidential hopeful to expand on his North Korea policy, distinguishing his views from President Kim Dae-jung's "sunshine policy."

"For peace on the Korean Peninsula, we need to get North Korea to reform and open up, and South Korean aid should be made to induce that reform and opening," said Mr. Lee in his meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov on Thursday (Russian time).

"My basic belief is that we should help economically, but work together reciprocally with the North to obtain peace," Mr. Lee told Mr. Ivanov. "If this principle is not adhered to, one-way aid to North Korea will be hard to sell," he said.

In a meeting with Russian Vice Prime Minister Valentina Matviyenko on Thursday, Mr. Lee proposed the United States, China, Russia and Japan, along with the Koreas, set up a "Northeast Asian Cooperation Council" to aid on inter-Korean issues.

Speaking Friday with students and experts on Korean affairs at a college in Moscow, Mr. Lee said "the current lull in inter-Korean relations show that peace is not easy to secure."

Mr. Lee said that North Korea needs to change in order to become a full-fledged member of the international community.

"The North can start by reducing its military spending, channel that money into reviving its fragile economy and show a sincere attitude to establishing peace between the two Koreas," Mr. Lee said.

by Lee Soo-ho

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