Domestic politics not major factor in deciding inter-Korean summit: minister

By Tony Chang
SEOUL, Feb. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's upcoming election calendar and other
domestic political elements would not be major points of consideration in the
planning and proceedings of another inter-Korean summit if the two countries were
to agree to hold one, Seoul's pointman on the North said Friday.

"If an inter-Korean summit is ever to be held (again), I don't believe (domestic)
political consideration will be an important variable at all," Hyun In-taek,
Seoul's unification minister, said during an interpellation session at the
National Assembly.
The possibility of an imminent inter-Korean summit has become a hot topic here
since the South Korean President Lee Myung-bak told British broadcaster BBC last
week that he is prepared to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-il any time, even
this year.
Lee's comments spawned media speculation that the two sides may be working to set
up what would be their third summit following two rounds in 2000 and 2007. Lee's
aides, however, claimed that no concrete move for a meeting is currently under
way.
Hyun was responding to a question from Cho Seung-soo of the opposition New
Progressive Party, who asked whether the South's local elections and other
political schedules will be considered in deciding upon the timing of another
summit.
Asked whether discussions of signing a peace treaty could be included in the
agenda of a summit, the minister said that it was likely.
"If the North firmly decides to abandon its nuclear (program) and engage itself
in the grand bargain (dialogue), a peace treaty could of course be discussed,"
Hyun said.
The South Korean president proposed the so-called "Grand Bargain" with the North
last year, aimed at reaching a single-step package deal on scrapping its nuclear
program, unlike the piecemeal approach initiated by the United States in
six-party talks during the Bush administration.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)

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