Reconcile, Forgive N. Korea Says Roh

President Roh Moo-hyun stated on August 15 regarding the peninsular relations, “We should move past the anger and hatred in our hearts,” and added, “We should forgive the past and follow the path towards reconciliation and cooperation.”

President Roh spoke on the 61st Liberation Day commemoration held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts at Jongno-gu, Seoul, on this day and said, “It is certainly not easy to extend a fig leaf of tolerance and reconciliation to North Korea when considering the people who have suffered from the war and abductions committed by North Korea in the past.”

President Roh’s “forgiveness for North Korea” statement is likely to evoke controversy as no apologies or acknowledgement of North Korea’s responsibilities have been received for the Korean War, abductees, and terrorism issues, and no social consensus for South Korea has been reached.

On policies toward North Korea, President Roh said, “It is imperative that we manage the situation by placing the peace and stability of the peninsula as our utmost priority.”

He added, “We should persuade North Korea to follow the path of reform and openness through tolerance and patience,” and emphasized, “Through economic cooperation such as the Gaesong Industrial Complex, the South and the North should build sturdy bridges together that will lead to peace and prosperity.”

On relations between Korea and Japan, President Roh said, “Japan should sincerely repent its past and substantiate its repeated apologies by proving clearly that it does not have the intention to repeat its past actions,” and added, “Actual measures should be taken such as resolving matters including Dokdo, history textbooks, visits to the Yasukuni shrine, and the comfort women issues.”

On returning wartime military command, President Roh said, “It is a way to restore the nation’s sovereignty and remedy the unnatural situation that goes against the constitution on the Korean army’s prerogative of supreme command.”

Also, President Roh on the Northeast Asian situation assessed, “We should caution against hegemonic intentions that threaten regional peace, cooperation, and order. Unfortunately, even today, the instability of the past still exists in Northeast Asia.”

President Roh added, “From now on, we should work towards a united front that will provide a realistic force to lead the country and enhance legitimacy,” and continued, “On actions that harm the baseline of democracy and human rights, sincere repentance and apologies should be given, while on the other hand, charges on the legitimacy or qualifications on the mistakes of our past history should now be re-routed to an assessment of the past in order to lead to true forgiveness and reconciliation.”

Kim Kook-ju, president of the Korea Liberation Association, set a different tone from President Roh’s “forgiveness of North Korea” statement in the day’s celebratory speech by denouncing North Korea, stating, “North Korea is ignoring our efforts for mutual existence, peace, and prosperity by heightening tensions in Northeast Asia through reckless testing of missiles.”

He added, “Our previous generation achieved the proud legacy including a high rate of industrialization and democratization, but at this point of entry into becoming a developed country, our environment is filled with obstacles, tension, and discord that tarnish the joy of our liberation.”

jyw11@donga.com