Reciprocal North Korean Policy Leads to Crisis

President Roh Moo-hyun attended the 13th leadership inauguration ceremony of the National Unification Advisory Council (NUAC) held in Olympic Fencing Stadium, Seoul on July 19.

In his address, he has talked about North Korea policy based on reciprocal action. He said, “Reciprocity, which means treating our counterpart the same way as we are treated, will only bring frequent crisis and confrontation. Reciprocity may sound good, but it does not help public safety and peace.”

He went onto say that, “What might have happened if we had suspended the Gaesong Industrial Complex and Mt. Geumgang tourism projects as several media outlets argued when North Korea launched missiles and test-fired nuclear weapons? South Korean businesses working in the industrial complex might have inflicted a significant loss and fallen into a crisis. It may have forced foreign investment to flow out of Korea and stock prices to plunge.”

Roh also presented his “Northward Economic Era through Inter-Korean Cooperation to build peace on the Korean Peninsula” plan. As an action plan, he has consistently implemented an engagement policy toward the North.

He added, “The first step to peace and prosperity is to establish a peace regime on the Korean peninsula. Denuclearization should be achieved as soon as possible, and a transition from armistice agreement to peace regime should follow. When the Northward Economic Era begins, an excellent economic opportunity will come, which is far bigger than that of the Vietnam or Middle East. Our economic landscape will spread throughout the entire Eurasian continent.”

Regarding his remarks, Na Gyeong-won, a spokeswoman for the Grand National Party (GNP), said, “The GNP did not give up the idea of reciprocity. We are saying that the GNP will not apply reciprocal principles stubbornly. The president should keep in mind the lesson that the reckless pursuit of aid provisions and engagement policy led to the North Korean nuclear crisis.”

jin0619@donga.com