(EDITORIAL from the Korea Herald on Jan. 25)

Take initiative

Pyongyang, in recent weeks, has expressed several times a desire to engage in
dialogue with Seoul, the latest being last Friday's call for military talks
concerning issues at the Gaeseong Industrial Complex located north of the border.

The North Korean military, which controls the border, proposed talks on
communication, passage of people and customs clearance at the inter-Korean
industrial estate. The North has proposed holding the talks on Tuesday.
Last week, officials from the two sides met for two days to discuss ways to
revitalize the Gaeseong Industrial Complex. Although the meeting ended without
reaching an agreement, the two sides agreed to meet again on Feb. 1.
On Jan. 14, Pyongyang suggested holding working-level talks on the suspended
Mount Geumgang and Gaeseong tours. The previous day, North Korea accepted Seoul's
offer of 10,000 tons of maize, an offer which was made last year.
These moves are consistent with North Korea's statement at the beginning of the
year that it would seek to improve the living conditions of its people: The
proposed talks all involve projects that earn foreign currency for the North.
As is usual in inter-Korean relations, Pyongyang issued vitriolic statements even
as it said it wants dialogue and engagement.
On Jan. 15, the same day Pyongyang said it would accept a shipment of maize from
Seoul, the North Korea's National Defense Commission threatened "holy war" and
said it would cut all dialogue and cooperation with the South. This was
apparently in response to a media report about Seoul's contingency plans in the
event of a North Korean regime collapse.
South Korea's Defense Minister Kim Tae-young's remarks Wednesday that Seoul
should launch a pre-emptive strike when signs of an imminent nuclear attack by
the North are detected, and a government think-tank report which speculated that
Kim Jong-il may not be around in 2012, led to yet another vitriolic statement by
the North, which said that the South had declared war against it.
Despite the hostile statements, it should be noted that the North has left open
the door to dialogue. Indeed, the meeting on improving operations at the Gaeseong
Industrial Complex proceeded as scheduled after North's threat to cut all
dialogue and cooperation with the South.
In fact, it is Seoul which is giving the impression that it has been caught
unprepared for the "sudden" North Korean overtures. After Pyongyang's proposal
for talks on Mount Geumgang and Gaeseong tours was made, the Unification Ministry
here said it would announce its position on the matter on Jan. 25.
As for the North Korean military's proposal for talks on improving
communications, passage of people and customs clearance at Gaeseong Industrial
Park -- an issue which Seoul has been pressing on Pyongyang -- the government may
announce its response after the Feb. 1 working-level meeting on Gaeseong
Industrial Park.
Understandably, the government is cautious when it comes to inter-Korean
relations. It needs to analyze North Korea's moves and intentions and come up
with appropriate responses. However, the way it has been putting off responding
to North Korean proposals gives the impression that this administration does not
have a firm grip on South-North relations. Such impressions should be avoided.
North Korea's No. 2 man, Kim Young-nam, is reported to have told a visiting
Italian parliament delegation that Pyongyang wants a peace treaty with the United
States and China, bilateral negotiations with the United States on a security
guarantee and the lifting of U.N. sanctions as preconditions for returning to the
six-party talks.
This position has been repeated several times, but it is notable for clearly
excluding Seoul from the peace talks. The administration must take the initiative
in inter-Korean relations or risk being left out of talks that will affect the
future of the peninsula.
(END)

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