Scholars meet in North to ponder

On the final day of a two-day academic conference in Pyeongyang, 100 North Korean scholars had a rare chance to listen to South Korean and overseas scholars evaluate the United States’ doctrine toward North Korea. South Korean scholars confirmed the tension that has gripped Pyeongyang since the start of the Iraq war.
At the sixth unification conference attended by scholars from the two Koreas and abroad the main topic was North Korea’s nuclear aspirations. “We do not deny that nuclear issues must be resolved to achieve peace on the peninsula,” said Pak Yong-chol, vice chairman of North Korea’s National Reunification Institute.
“But the best way is bilateral talks between the United States and North Korea and a nonaggression treaty between the two,” said Mr. Pak. He said North Korea objected to multilateral talks, which would bring international pressure.
Another North Korean scholar, Kang Jong-ho, said, “Americans have attacked Iraq and are now saying that North Korea is the next target. War benefits no one. Peace is the only way,” he said.
Moon Chung-in, a South Korean scholar, warned that the North should not provide the United States justification to practice a hard-line policy toward Pyeongyang.
Mr. Moon said the reprocessing of nuclear fuel rods, exporting weapons-grade plutonium or testing long range missiles might be seen as such a justification.

by Special Reporting Team