We Can’t Just Rubber-stamp Government Initiatives With North

“We can’t just oppose it. But, we can’t just welcome it at the same time.” This comment was made on September 5, 2002, by a high-ranking Grand National Party’s official with regard to the exchanges between two Koreas, which are expected to accelerate in the future. The cause is too good for the GNP to reject: Development of North and South relations. Simultaneously, however, the GNP cannot brush off its doubt that the series of North policies are conceived with the upcoming presidential election in mind.

In this context, it is understood why GNP’s Chairman Suh Chong-won declined the invitation to the reception for the North-South Soccer Match on Sep. 5 and its Presidential Candidate Lee Hui-chang and Suh have decided not to watch the Sep. 7th soccer match in person.

Secretary General Kim Young-il explained, “They are too busy to visit flooded areas.” But he did not hide his suspicion of the background behind the series of the recently accelerated contacts between North and South.

The GNP also shows a vague position on Busan Asian Games starting on September 29 as well as the Soccer match. Lee Sang-bae, a senior GNP member, opposed the co-entrance of North and South athletes with the Korean Peninsula Flag hanging. But, GNP’s spokesman Nam Kyung-pil hurriedly tried to minimize the significance of Lee’s remarks by saying, “Lee’s opinion does not represent that of our party.” These conflicting comments reflect the divisions within the GNP.

The GNP is also pondering over how it should react to the rumor that North Korean Leader Kim Jung-il will visit Seoul on Sep. 28, and attend the opening ceremony of Busan Aisan Games. In fact, however, the GNP has almost no options.

One GNP member criticized, “It is the next administration which has to invest money in the construction of the Gae Sung Industrial Complex and the connection of Kyung-Hui Line. But Kim Dae Jung administration is just doling out everything it could. All the events tightly scheduled between North and South show strong signs that they are intended for the upcoming election.”

Thus, the GNP, considering such complicity involving the North-South relations, takes a strategy under which it approaches to each of the events on a case-by-case. In other words, it will agree in certain cases, but will not endorse events which the public in general does not support.

Nonetheless, it does not seem easy. Due to the conservativeness of the GNP, its quick responses do not seem easily possible. One reform-minded GNP member worried, “If our party’s position appears like ‘Opposition against all odds,’ we ourselves will leave little room for our own maneuvering.”

Yeon-Wook Jung jyw11@donga.com