Parties, Let`s Have Open Forum On Inter Korean Issues

Kim Joong-Kwon, the chairperson of the ruling New Millennium Democratic Party hinted yesterday the return visit of Chairperson Kim Jong-Il within this year, saying ``I think [the return visit] will be carried out as the leaders of the two Koreas agreed as in the 6.15 Joint Inter-Korean Declaration.``

On the Donga`s special interview with Kim Joong-Kwon, chairperson Kim remarked that the President`s repeated urges for the return visit of Kim Jong-Il is to urge the North Korean to implement the 6.15 Joint Inter-Korean Declaration. ``It`s not begging as Lee Hoi-Chang, the president of the Grand National Party, claimed,`` said Mr. Kim.

Responding to the petition for the dismissal of the Unification and the Defense Ministers and for the request of the national investigation by the Assembly on the North Korean commercial ships` intrusion into the South territory, Mr. Kim replied that `it is only a political strife. However, when the opposition files the petition for the dismissal, [the ruling party] will respond by the legal procedure.``

In addition, chairperson Kim Joong-Kwon proposed to the GNP president Lee Hoi-Chang for an open forum to discuss the inter-Korean issues to get rid of the confusion of the people about the inter-Korean issues, including the North Korean commercial ships intrusion into the South territory.

In terms of the national reformation plan, which the President will reveal at a press conference, ``the President is not only the president of the ruling party but also the supreme authority of the government. Therefore, he will made a final decision for the governmental reformation plan as well as the demand of the young caucus,`` said Mr. Kim.

In particular, chairperson Kim stated that, since the systemic reformation of the government administration is more urgent than the human resource reformation, the party would promote the organic communication system of the party, the government, and Cheong Wa Dae. ``To accomplish the goal, the Prime Minister, the chairperson of the party, and the Chief of the Secretary to the President will frequently meet together to discuss all the issues of the national administration,`` he added.

Kim Chang-Hyuk chang@donga.com