Ruling Party ``Violation of The Spirit of 6.15 Declaration,`` Opposition Party ``Due to the Humiliating Negotiation with North``

With regard to the North`s delay of the family exchange program, Han Kwang-Ok, chairperson of the Millennium Democratic Party (MDP), said yesterday that ``it is very regretful and deplorable. Such a humanitarian issue should not be postponed based on the pretext that our military has strengthened the countermeasures after the terrorist attacks in the U.S.``

Han also urged the North to fulfill the agreement made in the South-North ministerial talk, saying that ``this violates the spirit of 6.15 joint declaration agreed by the South and North.``

Lee Hoi-Chang, president of the Grand National Party, said yesterday regarding the delay of the family exchange program, ``I feel angry and deplorable at the North who politically abused the family exchange program which was made in a humanitarian dimension.`` ``I urge for the realization of the family exchange program as early as possible by considering pain of the separated families.``

Lee Hoi-Chang also urged for the reconsideration of the government policy on North Korea, saying that ``such a rude attitude of North Korea was incurred by our government`s humiliating policy toward North.``

Jang Kwang-Keun, spokesperson of the GNP said in his comment that ``the North`s unilateral postponement of family exchange program is an absurd behavior that damages not only diplomatic practices but also the trust between South and North. Since the North`s pretext for the delay is the situation of South, it is clearly a case of intervention of domestic affairs.``

Jang continued to say that ``North Korea has expected for the aids, such as electricity aids, from South by resuming the South-North dialogue. However, North Korea is behaving this way since its expectation was not met. The government should not repeat the humiliating negotiation with the North any more.``

Sun Dae-In eodls@donga.com