Meeting of North and South Korean Leaders in Moscow Unlikely

It seems unlikely that the leaders of North and South Korea will meet at the Celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Victory in World War II, to be held in Moscow on May 9.

Jeong Woo-seong, presidential advisor for foreign affairs, answered at yesterday’s press briefing, “I think it is unlikely that Kim Jong Il will attend the ceremony,” in response to the question regarding Kim’s attendance.

“Almost all of the other leaders have told Russia whether they will attend. There has been no indication that Kim will attend, and no one knows who will attend from North Korea.” he added.

President Roh Moo-Hyun will be in Russia on May 8~10 to attend the ceremony, then will go to Uzbekistan for a state visit.

Cheong Wa Dae has released “President Roh’s Germany, Turkey Visit (May 10-18) Reference Notes” to the press. It revealed details of Germany’s compensation acts after World War II and indirectly criticized the Japanese government, which has so far been insincere about compensation.

According to this information packet, Germany paid 61.4 billion euros (about 81.48 trillion won) in compensation after “The Federal Law for the Compensation of the Victims National Socialist Persecution” of June 1956 came into effect, through 2003. It is estimated that Germany will have to pay at least 10 billion euros (about 13.2 trillion won) more, under the principle that “we will compensate as long as there are victims remaining.”

Also, it was stated in the packet that the former West-German Chancellor Konrad ADENAUER said in 1951, “In our name, unspeakable crimes have been committed and demand compensation and restitution, both moral and material.” It also gave specific instances of Germany’s other political leaders such as ex-Chancellor Willy Brandt who has apologized for the Nazi crimes.

Jung-Hun Kim jnghn@donga.com