[Editorial] Inter-Korean Dialogue after the Terror

The North released its announcement to blame the terror in the name of its Foreign Minister yesterday and declared that it will pay `its best efforts and devotion` to the 5th Ministerial meeting from Sep. 15 in Seoul. It is noteworthy of the announcement released in the midst of the U.S. President Bush`s declaration for the `war level retaliation` against the `9.11 terror`.

The horrible incident in the U.S. seems to affect the North-U.S. Dialogue in the future. The U.S. will be busy of dealing with the current situation and also increase its suspect against the North, a rogue state. The Korean issues will be put on the low priority for a while including the postponement of the Bush`s visit to Seoul scheduled in October.

It is a positive sign for the North to release an Anti-terrorism announcement. One step forward, it would be much better if the both Koreas adopt an `Anti-Terrorism Joint Declaration` at the Ministerial Meeting.

North Korea already clarified its position to join any Anti-terrorism international organization at the North-U.S. Joint Communique last October, stating that the North ``opposes to any kind of terrorist acts against individuals and states.`` The reiteration of the anti-terrorism by the North will improve the images in the international society and will catalyze the North-U.S. dialogue. Timely, the President ordered yesterday to adopt an Anti-terrorism declaration at the Ministerial Meeting.

It is certain that the unprecedented serial terrors against the U.S. in its history will be influencing significantly on the future international politics. In brief, it`s an emergency situation of the world. Donald Rumsfeld the Defense Secretary declared yesterday that the U.S. will `attack the terrorists without warning` and therefore the world is terrified by the possibility of war.

The best strategy of the North at this moment is to actively engage in the Inter-Korean dialogue. As the Inter-Korean dialogue makes progress, the suspicions on the North will be resolved and eventually the North will be free from the yoke of a `rogue state`. The active participation of the North in the 5th Ministerial Meeting as it promised yesterday is strongly recommended.