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President’s comments fuel speculation of 3rd summit

Published: 04 Jan. 2010, 19:53

Is the third inter-Korean summit possible this year?

That is the question that has dominated the discussions of relations between the two Koreas early in 2010.

In his New Year’s address yesterday, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said this year should provide a turning point in the inter-Korean relations and urged North Korea to return to the six-party talks and make progress in the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

He also called on the North to open its heart and approach dialogue and cooperation with sincerity, and added that a permanent organ should be established for regular inter-Korean talks.

Lee didn’t elaborate on the specific level of such dialogue. In April 2008, he first suggested the building of such an organ but the North quickly rejected the idea. Lee’s comments yesterday further fueled speculation that a third summit between the Koreas could take place this year. He has long maintained that the nuclear issue must be on the table.

There were several reports last year about the summit and the South government has not officially confirmed or denied news that senior officials from the two Koreas met in a third country to discuss having the summit in the near future.

North Korea has also appeared open to talks with South Korea. In its annual New Year’s Day editorial, which serves as an indicator for the North’s policies for the given year, the North expressed willingness to improve inter-Korean relations.

“It is the consistent stand of the D.P.R.K. [North Korea] to establish lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and make it nuclear-free through dialogue and negotiations,” the editorial read. Its tone was in contrast with that of a year ago when the North criticized Seoul for raising tension on the peninsula.

The two previous inter-Korean summits were held in 2000 and in 2006. South Korean President Kim Dae-jung received the Nobel Peace Prize following the first one, and his successor Roh Moo-hyun walked across the border six years later. Each summit resulted in a joint declaration that aimed at improving inter-Korean ties and cooperation.

The North today may be pressing for the summit for domestic reasons. Yang Moo-jin, professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, noted that North Korea would want to ensure stability of the regime while Kim Jong-il is healthy, and having an inter-Korean summit would be an important determinant.

Earlier, on Dec. 30, the Korea Institute for National Unification said in a report that the third summit would likely take place within the first half of 2010.

“Amid economic struggles and the succession question, North Korea can’t afford to keep inter-Korean relations strained,” the report read. “First, some high-level talks, such as ministerial meetings, would be necessary.”

Lee Dong-kwan, the senior Blue House secretary for public affairs, explained that even if a summit were to be held, it wouldn’t carry much significance if it ended up as a one-time event.

“The goal is for the two Koreas to engage in dialogue whenever necessary,” Lee explained to reporters. “If we meet only periodically for tactical or political purposes, then it’d be hard to lend much meaning to such occasions. Only through regular talks can our relations be normalized.”

By Yoo Jee-ho [[email protected]]