Kim J.P. warns of romantic view of North

Kim Jong-Pil, honorary president of the United Liberal Democrats, warned of what he termed a romantic view toward North Korea during a luncheon meeting with Lee Hoi-Chang, president of the opposition Grand National Party on July 22, GNP spokesman Rep. Kwon Chul-Hyun said.

"British Prime Minister Chamberlain, upon returning home after meeting Adolf Hitler in Munich just before the outbreak of World War II, declared ¡®peace in our time¡¯ and surged to become a national hero,¡± Lee, quoting a report by Japanese daily Sankei Shimbun, said. ¡°But then realist Churchill said, ¡®It`s only the beginning of a tragedy.¡¯ ¡±

Kim was expressing sympathy with Lee`s remarks about the British leaders` optimistic view of the international situation just prior to the outbreak of World War II.

"We were full of hope that peace would come soon when the South and the North announced the July 4 South-North Joint Communique in 1972,¡± the spokesman quoted Kim as saying to Lee. ¡°But I had pointed out that the agreement might end as a mere scrap of paper. We need to maintain an attitude to prepare with composure."