North Korea resumes criticism of Seoul

North Korea's Pyongyang Broadcasting issued a commentary Sunday titled "We condemn pungent, insulting and provocative remarks made against us" that criticized Seoul for the first time since the June 15 Inter-Korean Summit Declaration.

Referring to Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Lee Joung-Binn's speech at the U. N. General Assembly session Sept. 19, in which he used the words "engagement policy," the North Korean state mouthpiece contended his remarks were an effort to pour cold water on the nation's unification efforts and cast a dark cloud over South-North reconciliation and unity.

Claiming that Lee Joung-Binn's engagement policy is a variant of the Sunshine Policy, it said that Lee's statement was intended to undermine the North. It went on to say that if the South Korean authorities truly respect the results of the historic inter-Korean summit and desire to implement mutual agreements, they should refrain from using phrases such as "engagement policy" in the future.

In his U.N. speech, Minister Lee asked for international support for the developments in the inter-Korean relations, noting that Seoul's engagement policy and international backing provided momentum for the elimination of Cold War legacies on the Korean peninsula.

Meanwhile, the North's Rodong Shinmun of the Worker's Party contended Sept. 23 that the Daegu event marking the 50th anniversary of the Korean War Sept. 13 and the rites commemorating the Incheon landing Sept. 14 were acts running counter to the national aspiration of unification.

spear@donga.com