Seoul's foreign minister hints at changes in policy toward Pyongyang

SEOUL, Nov. 13 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's foreign minister said Thursday the government will "switch" its North Korea policy, a day after the communist state threatened to close all passages across the countries' shared border.

The border restrictions will effectively suspend operations at a joint industrial
complex in Kaesong, the last remaining symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation
efforts after tours to North Korea's Mount Geumgang were suspended in July
following a shooting death there.
Pyongyang's most recent threat is presumably aimed at getting Seoul's
conservative Lee Myung-bak government to soften its policy.
The Lee administration has not made any notable reply to Pyongyang's repeated
threats.
On Wednesday, shortly after the North said it would cut off all overland passages
across the border with South Korea beginning Dec. 1, the Lee government went no
further than to express its regrets.
"An official announcement will be made later this day on the government's
position toward North Korea," Seoul's Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan told a
parliamentary session Thursday.
He said the announcement will cover "overall issues" with Pyongyang including its
recent border ban near the Kaesong Industrial Complex, but declined to comment
further.
"Wait for the official announcement, please," he said.
North Korea opened Kaesong to South Korean tourists and business under Seoul's
previous administration, which had been keen to transform the totalitarian North
through capitalist projects.
Experts had forecast the North would not shut down Kaesong despite its threats,
as its government is in dire need of foreign currency. The Kaesong complex brings
the communist state nearly US$3 million a month. Wednesday's move seems to have
signaled where Pyongyang's priorities lie.
Minister Yu added the government is making effort to find out whether North
Korea's recent announcement that it will not allow inspectors to take samples
from its main nuclear site for verification purposes is merely a strategic move
or an ultimatum.
"I do not believe North Korea means to cut off the six-party talks completely,"
he said. "We will discuss this matter with Washington and convey our joint
position to Pyongyang."
Shortly after announcing it would halt border crossings with South Korea,
Pyongyang said it will overseas inspectors from taking nuclear waste samples from
nuclear reactor site at Yongbyon, complicating Washington's attempt to determine
its denuclearization process.
North Korea has been taking steps towards dismantling its nuclear weapons program
under an aid-for-denuclearization deal signed last year with South Korea, China,
Japan, Russia and the United States.
hayney@yna.co.kr
(END)