Incoherent Government Response to NK`s Regret

The government, which had welcomed North Korea`s expression of regret over the recent naval clash in the West Sea, has taken a step back and decided to cautiously respond.

After receiving North Korea`s telephone message, in which the Stalinist country expressed regret, the Presidential office of Chungwadae and the Unification Ministry showed different reaction, raising concerns that there is a problem with the policy coordination system inside the government.

The Unification Ministry said in a report to the Unification Foreign Affairs and Trade Committee at the National Assembly that it would thoroughly review North Korea`s suggestion to resume dialogue, and that the government would gather the public opinions and closely coordinate with related ministry to work out countermeasures. The Unification Ministry added that it would put its priority on providing institutional devices to reduce military tension on the Korean Peninsula and to ensure that similar incident would not recur. The ministry also said that the government would halt economic assistance toward North Korea. Whether to further provide economic aid for North Korea would be decided after a thorough examination about the North`s changes in attitude.

But such a cautious approach by the government is totally different from the response the Unification Ministry showed only a day ago, triggering criticism that the government has abruptly changed its attitude mindful of the skeptical public sentiment. Kim Hyeong-gi, Deputy Minister of Unification said the ministry considered the message a clear apology and expression of regret for the June 29 West Sea naval clash. Kim continued that this was a significant progress compared to the past. He made it clear the government would resume talks with North Korea, saying that the government would set the date for ministerial level talks.

But the same day, Park Sun-sook, Chungwadae spokesperson, said that the presidential office would take enough time to mull over the North`s suggestion, then set its position. Cungwadae`s cautious approach indicated a departure from the Unification Ministry, showing the ill-performed policy coordination between the government and Chungwadae.

In response, a Chungwadae official said that Chungwadae decided to cautiously respond after it received the telephone message from the North, and the Unification Ministry went too far without deep consideration. But when the Unification Ministry announced its position, it distributed a two-page long reference analyzing the intension of North Korea`s regret.

Song Yeong-dae, former vice minister of now defunct Unification Bureau, said, "The government quickly welcome North Korea`s expression of regret as a clear apology, showing there had been a covet coordination between the government and North Korea. But later, the government changed its position as the public sentiment was not favorable. This showed again the government`s carelessness."

Chol-Hi Lee Dong-Ki Sung klimt@donga.com esprit@donga.com