D-2, Intensified Contention on North Korean Policy and Security Issues

The two major presidential candidates, Lee Hoi-chang of the conservative Grand National Party and Roh Moo-hyun of the pro-government Millennium Democratic Party, on Dec. 16 were continuously engaged in heated debates concerning resolution of the North Korea`s nuclear threats and policies toward North Korea.

Lee held a press conference at the party headquarters and stepped up his criticism against the Kim Dae-jung government and its candidate by saying, “Since the Korean war, previous administrations have successfully maintained peace on the Koran Peninsular without military conflicts between the two Koreas. However, under the Kim`s leadership, there were two rounds of inter-Korean naval clashes in the West Sea and talks of a nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsular. In light of that, it is not a sensible way to maintain the Kim`s good-intentioned but failed `Sunshine Policy` of engaging North Korea and continue the flow of cash aid to Pyongyang in order to secure peace on the Korean Peninsular.”

“The MDP`s candidate harshly accused me of being a hardliner inciting a war in unison with Pyongyang after whose peace and unification committee denounced me with the same accusation a day earlier,” he added. “The MDP nominee insisted continuous provisions of cash aid to Pyongyang even if it makes nuclear bombs while I called on the North for immediate renouncement of its nuclear weapons program. Given the fact, which one of the two, Roh and me, is more like a hawk inciting a war?” he countered. He also stressed, “I have a firm belief and willingness to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue by persuading Kim Jung-il, chairman of the North Korean Defense Committee not to go ahead with its decision when I hold a face to face meeting with the North Koran leader. I also have a capability of persuading the leaders of the surrounding four powers such as the U.S., Japan, China and Russia to help resolve the issue peacefully.”

Seo Chung-won, president of the GNP, said on his campaign trails to western regions of the South Chungcheong province including Tae-an and Seo-cheon, “I wonder if Roh Moo-hyun is a spokesman for the North`s news agency, given the fact that he reiterated what it had said before.” He criticized the MDP candidate by saying, “It is a critical mistake for him to threaten the public by using an extreme word of “war” in this situation.”

For the Roh Moo-hyun side, he contended at a street campaign held in Seoul, “This election might determine the chance of peace or war on the Korean Peninsula. Lee`s demand of halting the flow of cash aid to Pyongyang means the severance of inter-Korean exchanges and discontinuity of the Mt. Kumkang tour project, which leads to end the inter-Korean relationship.”

“Without inter-Korean dialogue, a possible crisis similar to the 1994 nuclear crisis that might have resulted in a war between two Koreas can not be resolved and there is no effective mechanism to mediate the two sides. And at the end of the day, the two Koreas may be drawn into an extreme situation. Not only that, bringing peace to the North East Asian region might be difficult forever if inter-Korean tensions are mounting and threat of a crisis is hovering over the Korean Peninsular.”

Lee Rack-yeon, spokesman of the MDP commented on the Lee`s remark at the press conference and countered, “Roh Moo-hyun of the MDP has nothing to do with the statement made by the North`s peace and unification committee which had cited Alexander Mansolve, Russian expert in the Korean Peninsular who considered Lee a hawk inciting a war.”

“Because of Lee`s “one-eyed” views on the North in every aspect, he failed to develop a balanced and sound North Korean policy. As a result, he concluded that there is a chance of a war on the Korean Peninsular,” he contended.

Yeon-Wook Jung Yong-Gwan Jung jyw11@donga.com yongari@donga.com