Seoul unfazed by N. Korea peace offensive

North Korean delegates expressed hope for an inter-Korean summit during a recent visit to Seoul to mourn late former President Kim Dae-jung.

But South Korean officials played down their remarks as an informal idea or a strategic move to forge a reconciliatory mood necessary for its goal of normalizing ties with the United States.

The six-member delegation, including Kim Jong-il`s top aides, made a three-day visit to Seoul, returning to the North on Sunday.

They told South Korean policymakers and politicians that the leaders should meet to resolve pending issues between the two Koreas.

Chosun Ilbo yesterday reported that top envoy Kim Ki-nam relayed Kim`s summit proposal to President Lee Myung-bak.



The presidential office flatly denied the report. "There were only general discussions on the development of South-North relations. No issues related to an inter-Korean summit were discussed," Cheong Wa Dae said in a statement.

In his address on the Aug. 15 Liberation Day, President Lee proposed dialogue on "what it will take for North Korea to give up nuclear weapons."

"My administration is ready to start talks and cooperate with the North over all issues between us, at any time, at any level," he added.

His aides said Lee is essentially optimistic about meeting Kim at some future date, but only when certain conditions are met including the North`s clear resolve to give up its nuclear ambition.

Following the North`s nuclear test in May and with the six-party talks in limbo, this is not the right time for a summit, Seoul officials said.

But recent signs of improvement in Pyongyang`s relationship with Seoul and Washington emboldened calls among liberals for the highest level of dialogue to help break the impasse and reestablish inter-Korean ties.

Even conservative opposition leader Lee Hoi-chang yesterday proposed a three-way summit between Lee, Kim and U.S. President Barack Obama.

But the government is skeptical of the North`s intentions.

Seoul officials were displeased that North Korea shunned the government and had instead contacted the private organization honoring the late president to arrange their hasty visit to Seoul.

The Seoul government was left out in the cold when the North Korean leader promised on Aug. 16 to resume inter-Korean businesses during a meeting with Hyundai Group chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun.

These moves are aimed at cornering the Lee administration by arousing public opinion that the government did nothing in the reconciliation process, officials say.

"The government`s consistent position is that we can meet and talk anytime and anyplace, but we will not have a dialogue in a way that plays into the other`s hands or on a tactical dimension to change the conjuncture in relations with North Korea," presidential spokesman Lee Dong-kwan said.

On Sunday, the North Korean delegates delivered Kim`s verbal message regarding progress in inter-Korean relations to Lee.

"In response, President Lee explained the consistent and firm principles of the government`s North Korea policy and asked that his message be relayed to Chairman Kim," the spokesman said.

President Lee initially had no plans to meet with the North Korean envoys but once it was learned that they had been ordered by Kim to deliver a message to Lee, a meeting was arranged.

During meetings with Seoul officials including Lee`s special adviser on social cohesion Kim Duk-ryong, the North`s envoys repeatedly voiced the need for a third inter-Korean summit.

"They said the two leaders should meet to make progress in inter-Korean ties. But I am not sure whether it is a message from Kim and whether they delivered it to President Lee," the presidential adviser said.

Previous inter-Korean summits were held by former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun, who met the North Korean leader in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007, respectively.

(jjhwang@heraldm.com)



By Hwang Jang-jin