[Editorial] Inter-Korean Summit Should Be Delayed to the Next Administration

The second inter-Korean summit, originally scheduled for August 28, has been delayed to October 2. Pyongyang requested the delay, citing damage from the recent flooding as the reason, and Seoul accepted the request.

Considering that the outgoing South Korean president will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Il just two months before the presidential election, it is highly doubtful that the meeting can be very productive. Given the impact that the summit outcome will have on various issues, including the North Korean nuclear issue, it would be wise for the administration to hand over the summit to the next administration.

For starters, the procedure of the delay is dubious. After the North called to request that the meeting be delayed to early October around 9:20 a.m. yesterday, the government held a meeting at 2:00 p.m. and accepted the request. This makes one wonder what the administration weighed and considered in such a short span of time. It is highly probable that the administration just accepted the North’s demand without expressing any opposition. The summit is not a presidential picnic in Pyongyang. There must be appropriate timing, agenda, and preparations for the summit.

True, the North recently suffered severe flooding. It was yet another example of their dismal management which led to the loss of property and lives after 400 to 500 millimeters of rain. If the flooding is the only reason for the delay, a summit in October is all the more unwise. Given its capacity, Pyongyang seems unlikely to have recovered by that point. It is more reasonable to hold a summit after the North has had enough time to fully repair the damage.

A summit in the run-up for the presidential election will give rise to all kinds of political controversies. The ruling camp already says that it would benefit from keeping the summit just prior to the election. Under these circumstances, it is only natural for the Grand National Party to sound a cautious note. It would be easier for the North to influence the South’s presidential election if the summit is held at that time. Worse yet, the election campaign could focus on the big controversy over the summit.

Moreover, October is a month for a series of celebrations in the North. October 8 marks the 10th anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s inauguration as the Secretary General of the Korean Workers’ Party (KWP), while the 9th marks the first anniversary of the country’s nuclear test, and the 10th is the 62nd anniversary of the foundation of the KWP. If the South Korean president’s visit to Pyongyang coincides with these dates, North Korean propagandists could likely attempt to make the most of it.