Controversial Remarks by Uri Party Floor Leader Anger GNP

Former Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan, currently serving as President Roh’s special advisor for political affairs, is visiting Pyongyang on March 7 amid controversy. Some have claimed the purpose of his visit is to promote another inter-Korean summit.

In a press conference held in Incheon International Airport right before leaving for the North, Lee told reporters, “Only the implementation of the first stage of the agreement [about the North Korean nuclear renunciation] reached in the latest round of the six-party talks is being discussed, so a summit between two Koreas can be talked about only after the outline of a plan for implementation is drawn out and clearly set. It is not time to discuss a summit.”

He added, “We are not a government delegation. We are a delegation of the Uri Party’s Northeast Asia Peace Committee, which means reaching a concrete agreement with the North is not our job.” He stressed that he is not visiting Pyongyang as a special envoy of the president.

In the meantime, floor leader of Uri Party Jang Young-dal said in a telephone interview with CBS Radio, “The Grand National Party (GNP) said if they win the next presidential election, everything would be changed except the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiation between Korea and the U.S. If that happens, a war might be waged between the two Koreas.”

In response to Lee’s visit to Pyongyang and Jang’s controversial remarks, the GNP said the ruling party is employing election strategies of painting themselves as a force for peace who tries to promote reconciliation between North and South Korea and describing the opposition party as a force hurting peace that might wage a war.

GNP spokeswoman Na Gyeong-won said, “Mr. Jang disappointed fellow politicians in the GNP who want to consider him as a reliable partner for dealing with national affairs. He should immediately recant his remarks and make an apology.”

yongari@donga.com mindy@donga.com