[Editorial] Goal: No Blunders in Pyongyang

President Roh Moo-hyun, scheduled to visit North Korea on October 2 for inter-Korean summit talks, should restrict himself to discussing or negotiating challenging topics for the sake of the people and his successor.

Although his agenda and schedule have not been confirmed yet, it is said that main agenda will include peace, the Northern Limit Line (NLL), and large-scale investment proposals in social infrastructure in the North. It is reported that he will sit side by side with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il to watch the controversial gymnastics show called “Arirang” that pays homage to both Kim Il Sung and his son, Kim Jong Il.

Some experts worry that this could cause even more controversy.

The bottom line for this summit is the need to hear a confirmed response from Kim on how to complete the standing down of North Korea’s nuclear weapons. Unless progress is made on this issue, consensus on other issues is meaningless. North Korean leader Kim might make an obscure comment, “Denuclearization of the Korean peninsula is one of the teachings left to us by Kim Il Sung.” However, President Roh must blatantly cut in, boldly saying, “Clarify your commitment to abandon nuclear weapons.”

Indeed, President Roh openly pressed President Bush for an answer at a joint press conference after the Korea-U.S. summit talks on September 7.

The issue of the NLL should be cautiously approached. Even if the North consistently insists on redrawing it, President Roh must encourage the North to discuss it at the existing ministerial-level summit or avoid the issue, saying, “Discuss it with the next president of South Korea.”

President Roh said during his congratulatory speech at the groundbreaking ceremony for Gimcheon Innovation City two days ago, “I plan to visit North Korea, and I will receive a lot of orders for land and road construction.” Social infrastructure investment to the North without a precise strategy will merely help to sustain the Kim Jong Il regime, however, while making South Koreans sick. It is wrong to issue such “notes” just because Pyongyang invited him to the North.

President Roh knows what the Arirang performance is about. Unification Minister Lee Jae-jeong made a nonsensical remark, saying, “The two heads of state observing the show will send a message of peace to the world,” despite the fact that the show promotes the purported superiority of the North Korean regime.

Minister Lee also said on the possible violation of children’s human rights, “The issue of human rights can be differently interpreted depending on the environment and characteristics of a region.” Is he rational or what?

President Roh is genius in moving in the opposite direction as more and more people counter him, but hopefully he will exert the virtue of restraint this time. No doubt, it would be the right course of action for president Roh at the end of his tenure, and his last official responsibility for the people.