N. Korea threatens to sever all ties with S. Korea

(ATTN: UPDATES with S. Korean government's response in paras 13-16)
By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Oct. 16 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Thursday that it would cut off all inter-Korean ties unless the conservative South Korean government withdraws its "hostile policy" towards Pyongyang.

"If the group of traitors keeps to the road of reckless confrontation with the
DPRK (North Korea), defaming its dignity despite its repeated warnings, this will
compel it to make a crucial decision including the total freeze of the
North-South relations," the Rodong Sinmun, published by the North's ruling
Workers' Party, in an English-version commentary carried by its official news
agency.
The warnings, the strongest in recent months, came amid expectations that its
relations with the United States may improve following its removal from the list
of state sponsors of terrorism last weekend.
The propaganda newspaper unleashed a tirade against President Lee Myung-bak, who
took office in February on a pledge to pursue relations with North Korea on a
reciprocal basis, linking aid to denuclearization.
It argued that Lee was seeking confrontation and a war of aggression against the
North, undoing what the two liberal South Korean governments achieved in
inter-Korean relations over the past decade.
"Lee Myung-bak had better come to his senses and bear in mind that he will have
no option but to follow in the deplorable footsteps of the preceding dictators
who met disgraceful ends if he goes reckless as a puppet of the U.S. and
ultra-right conservatives as now," it said.
Lee has sought to selectively implement the two historic inter-Korean summit
agreements on the reconciliation of the rival Koreas. The policy has angered
North Korea.
The two sides' relations have worsened further since a North Korean army guard
shot dead a South Korean housewife traveling to Mount Geumgang on the North's
eastern coast in July.
The tour program for South Koreans, launched in 1998, was indefinitely suspended
after the incident.
But the inter-Korean industrial complex in Kaesong and the tour operation for
South Koreans to the ancient city, just north of the border separating the two
countries, remain intact.
Although North Korea has severed government-level exchanges under the Lee
administration, it has also allowed irregular civilian visits to its capital
Pyongyang.
In army colonel-level talks with the South early this month, the North warned
that if South Koreans keep flying "propaganda leaflets" into its territory, it
would harm the joint economic projects.
The South Korean government played down the commentary, saying it is different
from a statement or joint editorial that reflects the North's official position.
"We regard it as an expression of the party's various complaints in an indirect
way," Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Ho-nyoun told a press briefing. "We will
continue to monitor the future situation."
He added that the commentary referred to a hypothetical situation, not an
immediate step.
The spokesman said the South Korean government remains committed to its plan to
improve ties with North Korea through dialogue.
Experts on North Korea were cautious in predicting whether the cash-strapped
regime will put its threats into action.
They said the North appeared to be trying to display confidence after reaching
its long-time goal of being taken off from the terror list.
They also pointed out that Pyongyang was seeking to head off public agitation
amid reports of its all-powerful leader Kim Jong-il's illness.
"I think North Korea is attempting to put pressure on South Korea, taking
advantage of the signs that its ties with the U.S. will get better," said Yang
Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul.
"Traditionally, North Korea has taken a tougher line on the South, when its
relations with the U.S. are relatively good."
lcd@yna.co.kr
(END)