President Kim Objects to `North Korea Containment`

The President Kim Dae-Jung said at the Cabinet Meeting on the 30th, “Even during the Cold War, pressure and isolation against communist countries did not succeed. They did not work in the Soviet Union or China, and they did not work against Viet Con even with a war. The Cold War confrontation cannot draw change.”

The President Kim`s saying like that is interpreted that he stated his objection to the `tailored containment against North Korea,` which the US government is mentioning in relation to the North Korean nuclear problem, indirectly.

The Chief Presidential Public Secretary Park, Sun-Sook conveyed that the president Kim stressed like that by saying, “We are in a deep trouble because of the North Korea nuclear problem; however, we cannot fight a war against North Korea. We cannot go back to the Cold War or extreme confrontation against North Korea.”

The President Kim said, “As much as the relationship with North Korea gets tighter, the Sunshine Policy is in effect. I positively believe if we induce North Korea with the Sunshine Policy, it will bring peace of the Korean Peninsular and opening and changing of North Korea,” and “there was no failed case with inducing to opening and talks.”

Seung-Mo Yoon ysmo@donga.com