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Lee determined to stand his ground on North

Published: 12 Sep. 2009, 05:55

President Lee Myung-bak has a dialogue with new military recruits yesterday at a boot camp in Hongcheon, Gangwon. [YONHAP]

The South will ensure that its policy on North Korea will remain firm in order to take the initiative in inter-Korean affairs, including the nuclear crisis, according to President Lee Myung-bak yesterday.

In a breakfast meeting with foreign affairs and security advisers at the Blue House, Lee said North Korea has made a series of conflicting moves, interpreting them as signs of instability in the reclusive communist state.

“North Korea recently showed two-faced attitudes by making conciliatory gestures, while at the same time claiming progress in its uranium enrichment programs,” President Lee was quoted as saying by his senior secretary for public affairs, Lee Dong-kwan. “This shows that the situation surrounding the North is very flexible.”

However, the president said the situation can be seen in a positive light because it may serve as an opportunity to create a new turning point in the nuclear issue.

Blue House officials said Seoul will not be deterred by the conflicting signals coming out of Pyongyang. “Flexibility can mean confusion and lead to a lack of confidence,” a Blue House official said. “In such a situation, we must remain firm, which will allow us to take the initiative.”

President Lee told his advisers that his administration will not respond to Pyongyang’s every single move. “This is an important period of transition and turmoil in inter-Korean relations,” Lee said. “We must set forth a future-oriented policy in order to be positively evaluated in 20 or 30 years.”

Lee told his advisers that he had explained Seoul’s position to the North’s envoys during their meeting with him last month on the eve of former President Kim Dae-jung’s funeral.

“I have stressed that the two Koreas will see progress if sincere dialogue is assured,” Lee was quoted as saying. “I also explained to the North’s delegation that South Korea will encourage the international community to help dramatically improve the North’s economy if Pyongyang is determined to give up its nuclear arms programs.”

The president also expressed his concern about the South Koreans killed over the weekend after North Korea unexpectedly discharged water from its dam on the Imjin River. “The incident warned us once again that the North’s actions are directly linked to the safety of South Koreans,” he said.

During the two-hour meeting, experts including Han Sung-joo, chairman of the Korean-American Association; Kim Tae-woo of the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses and Ha Young-sun of Seoul National University attended. The advisers recommended that Lee sternly counter provocation from the North, including the dam discharge, while maintaining momentum for the inter-Korean talks.

By Ser Myo-ja [[email protected]]