ID :
208761
Thu, 09/22/2011 - 07:16
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/208761
The shortlink copeid
*** INTER-KOREAN RELATIONS
NORTH KOREA NEWSLETTER NO. 176 (September 22, 2011)
*** INTER-KOREAN RELATIONS
S. Korea Ready to Help N. Korea If It Forsakes Nuclear Ambitions
NEW YORK (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak urged North Korea on Sept. 21 to break its self-imposed isolation and join the international community by forsaking its nuclear ambitions, declaring that Seoul is ready to help its impoverished neighbor if it makes the strategic decision.
President Lee's appeal, made in a keynote speech at the U.N. General Assembly, came hours after the nuclear envoys of the two Koreas produced no breakthrough in talks in Beijing to pave the way for reopening the six-party talks on ending Pyongyang's nuclear programs.
Officials said the South demanded the North take some preemptive measures to back up its denuclearization pledge before resuming the six-party talks, but the North reiterated a call for the resumption of the nuclear talks with no strings attached.
"The North Korean nuclear threat poses significant challenges to peace on the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and beyond," Lee said, adding that South Korea has tried for the past 20 years to end Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions and will continue to do so.
"It is my hope to see the DPRK (North Korea) enjoy peace and prosperity by becoming a responsible member of the international community. When the DPRK chooses the path to mutual benefit and common prosperity, we will be ready to help in this endeavor along with the international community," he said.
Lee also called for the international community to step up its fight against terrorism and the spread of weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and long-range missiles.
"The greatest threat of all perhaps emanates from nuclear terrorism. International cooperation is now needed more than ever to prevent nuclear terrorism," he said, adding that the issue will be a top issue at next year's Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul.
The keynote speech was the centerpiece of Lee's three-day trip to New York from Sept. 20. He is also scheduled to attend a high-level meeting on nuclear safety on Thursday to call for expanding atomic energy to fight climate change despite concerns in the wake of Japan's nuclear disaster.
Upon arrival on Sept. 20, Lee also received the World Statesman Award by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation. In an acceptance speech, Lee also urged the North to give up its nuclear programs, saying denuclearization is a key first step toward eventual unification of the divided states.
Lee's attendance at the General Assembly -- his first since 2009 -- comes as South Korea marks the 20th anniversary of its admission to the United Nations. In addition, Korean-born U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon was re-elected for a second term earlier this year.
Earlier on Sept. 20, President Lee urged North Korea to give up its nuclear programs, saying denuclearization is a key first step toward eventual unification of the two divided states.
Lee made the appeal during a speech after receiving a global leadership award upon arriving in New York for a three-day visit.
The remark came as the chief nuclear envoys of South and North Korea were to meet in Beijing on Sept. 21 for bilateral denuclearization talks aimed at paving the way for restarting the long-stalled six-party negotiations on ending Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.
"I hope the entire 70 million people on the Korean Peninsula will live peacefully and happily," Lee said after receiving the World Statesman Award by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation. "The most important thing for that is to remove threats to peace on the Korean Peninsula through denuclearization and to build mutual trust between the South and the North."
Based on denuclearization, the two Koreas can strengthen economic cooperation and eventually achieve unification, Lee said.
"A unified Korea will pose no threat to any countries, will rather facilitate prosperity of neighboring nations and contribute greatly to world peace," Lee said. "I think my role during the remainder of my term is to lay the groundwork for that day to come."
The six-party nuclear talks have been stalled since the last session in late 2008 due to Pyongyang's boycott and tensions over the North's two deadly attacks on the South last year. Seoul demands Pyongyang first show its denuclearization commitment in bilateral talks before reopening the broader session.
------------------------
South Korean Religious Leaders Head to North Korea for Rare Visit
SEOUL (Yonhap) -- A group of South Korean religious leaders left for North Korea on Sept. 21 for a rare visit they said could contribute to peace and reconciliation on the divided peninsula.
The seven leaders representing Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists and various ethnic religions plan to hold joint prayer meetings and events with their North Korean counterparts in the North's capital of Pyongyang and other parts of the country. The Seoul government approved their four-day trip last week, a rare move that comes amid signs of a thaw in inter-Korean relations.
"We plan to convey our longing for peace to the North," said Archbishop of Gwangju Kim Hee-joong, who heads the Korea Conference of Religion for Peace (KCRP), an organization that groups South Korea's seven major religions.
"Religious leaders of the South and the North hope to contribute, even in small parts, to uniting hearts toward reunification and opening a new chapter of reconciliation and cooperation, by coming together to resolve for peace," he said, reading out a joint statement before leaving Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main gateway.
He also said it is the first time for the leaders of the seven major religions to jointly visit North Korea, and asked for the people's prayers that their trip would bear "good and beautiful fruit."
The leaders and their entourage are expected to arrive in Pyongyang around 5 p.m. after transiting in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang. Upon arrival, the 24-member delegation will attend a welcome dinner in Pyongyang.
On Sept. 22, they will tour North Korean religious facilities and attend a conference with their Northern counterparts, according to the KCRP.
They will also hold a peace prayer meeting the following day on Mount Paektu, the highest mountain on the Korean Peninsula, which Pyongyang claims as the birthplace of its leader, Kim Jong-il. The 2,750-meter-high peak is also mentioned in the South's national anthem.
Local media reports have suggested that the leaders may meet Kim Jong-il during their stay.
"It's impossible to predict whether we'll be able to meet (Kim Jong-il). (If given the chance), I'd like to tell him that it would be good for the two Koreas to look for a way to live together harmoniously," Archbishop Kim said.
The visit is the latest in a series of trips to North Korea by South Korean cultural and religious officials.
South Korean orchestra conductor Chung Myung-whun returned to Seoul last week from a trip to North Korea during which he agreed with North Korean musicians to push for joint concerts of an inter-Korean symphony orchestra.
Earlier September, the government also allowed officials from South Korea's largest Buddhist sect to visit the North, the first such trip since ties fell to the lowest level in decades after the North's two deadly attacks on the South last year.
Prior to leaving for North Korea, South Korean religious leaders read out a joint statement at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Sept. 21.
------------------------
Taekwondo Officials of Two Koreas Discussed Merge of Their Int'l Bodies
SEOUL (Yonhap) -- Taekwondo officials of the two Koreas have met in Beijing about a dozen times in recent years to discuss a possible merger of their international bodies but no progress was made, a U.S. radio station said on Sept. 21, quoting a North Korean taekowndo leader.
In an interview with Voice of America (VOA), Jang Ung, North Korea's International Olympic Committee (IOC) member who also heads the country's international taekwondo organization, said no breakthrough was made in 11 rounds of inter-Korean negotiations held in Beijing since 2004.
Jang, who heads the North Korean-led International Taekwondo Federation (ITF), told the Washington-based radio station that the secret negotiations in Beijing began after Choue Chung-won, a former Seoul university president, became the new head of the IOC-sanctioned World Taekwondo Federation (WTF).
"Since Choue Chung-won became the WTF president, the two bodies met 11 times in Beijing, but there was no progress," Jang told VOA. "I think the merger can only happen after the unification."
Jang did not say what blocked progress in the merger talks in Beijing but previous reports said that the North insisted on equal representation of the two bodies in a unified organization, a proposal rejected by the South.
Jang didn't specify which officials were involved in the Beijing negotiations but said he himself visited South Korea in August 2002 and discussed the issue with the then WTF president Kim Un-yong.
Recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Seoul-based WTF is the official international governing body of taekwondo, a traditional Korean martial art.
(END)
*** INTER-KOREAN RELATIONS
S. Korea Ready to Help N. Korea If It Forsakes Nuclear Ambitions
NEW YORK (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak urged North Korea on Sept. 21 to break its self-imposed isolation and join the international community by forsaking its nuclear ambitions, declaring that Seoul is ready to help its impoverished neighbor if it makes the strategic decision.
President Lee's appeal, made in a keynote speech at the U.N. General Assembly, came hours after the nuclear envoys of the two Koreas produced no breakthrough in talks in Beijing to pave the way for reopening the six-party talks on ending Pyongyang's nuclear programs.
Officials said the South demanded the North take some preemptive measures to back up its denuclearization pledge before resuming the six-party talks, but the North reiterated a call for the resumption of the nuclear talks with no strings attached.
"The North Korean nuclear threat poses significant challenges to peace on the Korean Peninsula, Northeast Asia and beyond," Lee said, adding that South Korea has tried for the past 20 years to end Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions and will continue to do so.
"It is my hope to see the DPRK (North Korea) enjoy peace and prosperity by becoming a responsible member of the international community. When the DPRK chooses the path to mutual benefit and common prosperity, we will be ready to help in this endeavor along with the international community," he said.
Lee also called for the international community to step up its fight against terrorism and the spread of weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear, biological and chemical weapons and long-range missiles.
"The greatest threat of all perhaps emanates from nuclear terrorism. International cooperation is now needed more than ever to prevent nuclear terrorism," he said, adding that the issue will be a top issue at next year's Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul.
The keynote speech was the centerpiece of Lee's three-day trip to New York from Sept. 20. He is also scheduled to attend a high-level meeting on nuclear safety on Thursday to call for expanding atomic energy to fight climate change despite concerns in the wake of Japan's nuclear disaster.
Upon arrival on Sept. 20, Lee also received the World Statesman Award by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation. In an acceptance speech, Lee also urged the North to give up its nuclear programs, saying denuclearization is a key first step toward eventual unification of the divided states.
Lee's attendance at the General Assembly -- his first since 2009 -- comes as South Korea marks the 20th anniversary of its admission to the United Nations. In addition, Korean-born U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon was re-elected for a second term earlier this year.
Earlier on Sept. 20, President Lee urged North Korea to give up its nuclear programs, saying denuclearization is a key first step toward eventual unification of the two divided states.
Lee made the appeal during a speech after receiving a global leadership award upon arriving in New York for a three-day visit.
The remark came as the chief nuclear envoys of South and North Korea were to meet in Beijing on Sept. 21 for bilateral denuclearization talks aimed at paving the way for restarting the long-stalled six-party negotiations on ending Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.
"I hope the entire 70 million people on the Korean Peninsula will live peacefully and happily," Lee said after receiving the World Statesman Award by the Appeal of Conscience Foundation. "The most important thing for that is to remove threats to peace on the Korean Peninsula through denuclearization and to build mutual trust between the South and the North."
Based on denuclearization, the two Koreas can strengthen economic cooperation and eventually achieve unification, Lee said.
"A unified Korea will pose no threat to any countries, will rather facilitate prosperity of neighboring nations and contribute greatly to world peace," Lee said. "I think my role during the remainder of my term is to lay the groundwork for that day to come."
The six-party nuclear talks have been stalled since the last session in late 2008 due to Pyongyang's boycott and tensions over the North's two deadly attacks on the South last year. Seoul demands Pyongyang first show its denuclearization commitment in bilateral talks before reopening the broader session.
------------------------
South Korean Religious Leaders Head to North Korea for Rare Visit
SEOUL (Yonhap) -- A group of South Korean religious leaders left for North Korea on Sept. 21 for a rare visit they said could contribute to peace and reconciliation on the divided peninsula.
The seven leaders representing Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists and various ethnic religions plan to hold joint prayer meetings and events with their North Korean counterparts in the North's capital of Pyongyang and other parts of the country. The Seoul government approved their four-day trip last week, a rare move that comes amid signs of a thaw in inter-Korean relations.
"We plan to convey our longing for peace to the North," said Archbishop of Gwangju Kim Hee-joong, who heads the Korea Conference of Religion for Peace (KCRP), an organization that groups South Korea's seven major religions.
"Religious leaders of the South and the North hope to contribute, even in small parts, to uniting hearts toward reunification and opening a new chapter of reconciliation and cooperation, by coming together to resolve for peace," he said, reading out a joint statement before leaving Incheon International Airport, South Korea's main gateway.
He also said it is the first time for the leaders of the seven major religions to jointly visit North Korea, and asked for the people's prayers that their trip would bear "good and beautiful fruit."
The leaders and their entourage are expected to arrive in Pyongyang around 5 p.m. after transiting in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang. Upon arrival, the 24-member delegation will attend a welcome dinner in Pyongyang.
On Sept. 22, they will tour North Korean religious facilities and attend a conference with their Northern counterparts, according to the KCRP.
They will also hold a peace prayer meeting the following day on Mount Paektu, the highest mountain on the Korean Peninsula, which Pyongyang claims as the birthplace of its leader, Kim Jong-il. The 2,750-meter-high peak is also mentioned in the South's national anthem.
Local media reports have suggested that the leaders may meet Kim Jong-il during their stay.
"It's impossible to predict whether we'll be able to meet (Kim Jong-il). (If given the chance), I'd like to tell him that it would be good for the two Koreas to look for a way to live together harmoniously," Archbishop Kim said.
The visit is the latest in a series of trips to North Korea by South Korean cultural and religious officials.
South Korean orchestra conductor Chung Myung-whun returned to Seoul last week from a trip to North Korea during which he agreed with North Korean musicians to push for joint concerts of an inter-Korean symphony orchestra.
Earlier September, the government also allowed officials from South Korea's largest Buddhist sect to visit the North, the first such trip since ties fell to the lowest level in decades after the North's two deadly attacks on the South last year.
Prior to leaving for North Korea, South Korean religious leaders read out a joint statement at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Sept. 21.
------------------------
Taekwondo Officials of Two Koreas Discussed Merge of Their Int'l Bodies
SEOUL (Yonhap) -- Taekwondo officials of the two Koreas have met in Beijing about a dozen times in recent years to discuss a possible merger of their international bodies but no progress was made, a U.S. radio station said on Sept. 21, quoting a North Korean taekowndo leader.
In an interview with Voice of America (VOA), Jang Ung, North Korea's International Olympic Committee (IOC) member who also heads the country's international taekwondo organization, said no breakthrough was made in 11 rounds of inter-Korean negotiations held in Beijing since 2004.
Jang, who heads the North Korean-led International Taekwondo Federation (ITF), told the Washington-based radio station that the secret negotiations in Beijing began after Choue Chung-won, a former Seoul university president, became the new head of the IOC-sanctioned World Taekwondo Federation (WTF).
"Since Choue Chung-won became the WTF president, the two bodies met 11 times in Beijing, but there was no progress," Jang told VOA. "I think the merger can only happen after the unification."
Jang did not say what blocked progress in the merger talks in Beijing but previous reports said that the North insisted on equal representation of the two bodies in a unified organization, a proposal rejected by the South.
Jang didn't specify which officials were involved in the Beijing negotiations but said he himself visited South Korea in August 2002 and discussed the issue with the then WTF president Kim Un-yong.
Recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Seoul-based WTF is the official international governing body of taekwondo, a traditional Korean martial art.
(END)
