[Editorial] NK`s Apology is Not Enough

North Korea expressed regret over the naval skirmish in the West Sea one month after the tragic incident happened. The North might take time and went through a thorough preparation process for what the message to South Korea is about, who would announce and how to deliver the message. Deputy minister of Unification Kim Hyeong-gi of South Korea, on the other hand, was quick to announce that the telephone message from North Korea could be regarded as a clear apology and regret over the naval clash in the West Sea. The announcement was made only in an hour after the government received the message from North Korea. It is regrettable that the government gave high marks on such a critical issue putting apart what the public felt about it.

Fortunately, the government said in a meeting presided over by the deputy minister of Unification that it would continue to discuss the issue to set its position and shifted to cautiously lay out countermeasures. But President Kim Dae-jung took North Korea`s regret as an apology although he added that we should wait and see how the North reacts with hope. Considering this, it is highly likely that the government would accept the North expression of regret as an apology.

The government initially declared the naval clash in the West Sea as a premeditated provocation by North Korea and demand official apology, punishment of those who initiated the provocation and promise to prevent its recurrence.

President Kim emphasized before high-ranking military officers that he would push on the demand to the last just before the telephone message arrived.

North Korea`s expression of regret and suggestion for ministerial talks, in a way, have significance, but fall far short of our demand. Also we can easily see the North`s intention to shun the responsibility for the recent naval skirmish in the telephone message.

The government should not let the North pull the string because it is so obvious that the North intends to skate over the naval clash and obtain economic assistance through ministerial talks. The North`s intension can easily be detected when we think of upcoming international events. Igor Ivanov, Russian foreign minister, who arrived in Seoul yesterday, will leave for Pyongyang on the 28th. ASEAN Regional Forum will be held in Brunei starting from the 31st. It is time for North Korea to turn around the atmosphere in the international community to become favorable to the maverick communist country. As witnessed in its unprecedented reform measures to increase rice price by 55 times, the economic situation is in agony.

The government should admit that North Korea`s regret failed to meet out demand.

Also at the negotiating table, it should demand that North Korea hold accountable for the West Sea naval clash. Never again should the government be led by the nose.