[Editorial] It Is the Last Chance for the North, Too.

The result that special envoy Lim Dong-Won brought from the visit of the North is desirable to pay attention to as it initiated an effort to recover relationship of the South-North, which was stagnant for the last one year.

Most of the contents of the joint-report are pending matters except connecting Dong-hae railway and road.

However as we have stressed several times here, practicing one by one is important.

Therefore both the South-North should make an effort to wind up pending matters.

For this change in North`s attitude is the key.

This agreement also can be an empty promise unless the North shows aggressive attitude than the past on matters which are obstacles in the relationship of the North-U.S.

To settle down especially, Korean Peninsula crisis that can arise in year 2003 or the latter of this year, the basic change in North`s attitude on matters like WMD such as missiles and nuclear etc, is integral.

Special envoy Lim is reported to have mentioned about this matter specifically and asked for understanding, however, the key to solve out this matter lies with the North.

If the North is to use this agreement as temporary measures for avoiding its current difficult situation, the North should know that it is likely to rise as a power of time bomb.

The North authorities pressed the South, saying, ¡°choose one amid national cooperation or external cooperation¡° during special envoy Lim`s visit and the meeting suffered for the first two days.

If the North persists with such thoughts of dividing into two parts, there is no possibility for the North to be a member of International society successfully.

Now the North should accept the reality that the policy on the North of the U.S George.W.Bush`s administration is different to Bill Clinton`s administration and it should reflect it into real policy.

The first button is the matter of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).

Current agreement of the South-North is `the last chance` for Kim Dae Jung administration, however, it is also `the last chance` for the North to improve foreign relations cordially in cooperation with the South.

I hope that the North doesn`t fritter away this chance.