ID :
30754
Mon, 11/17/2008 - 18:20
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/30754
The shortlink copeid
N. Korea rejects proposal for inter-Korean dialogue as "hypocritical"
SEOUL, Nov. 17 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Monday labeled as hypocritical South
Korea's recent proposal for inter-Korean dialogue, claiming the proposal is
nothing but an attempt to evade responsibility for the worsening relationship
between the two Koreas.
Seoul on Thursday urged the communist nation to come to the dialogue table, one
day after Pyongyang threatened to block passage by all South Korean tourists and
businesspeople engaged in inter-Korean projects across the border that divides
the two Koreas.
The North has yet to officially reply to the South Korean message addressed to
the North's chief delegate to the general-grade military dialogue between the
divided Koreas. Pyongyang said the border will be shut down from Dec. 1.
In an apparent response to Seoul's call to resume inter-Korean dialogue, the
North's Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper published by its ruling Workers' Party, on
Monday claimed the proposal is nothing but an attempt to redirect public
criticism over shattered inter-Korean ties toward Pyongyang.
"Needless to say, such tragic developments as the deadlocked North-South dialogue
are attributable to traitor Lee Myung-bak's treacherous 'policy toward the North'
and the frantic moves of his group to scuttle dialogue," the newspaper said in a
commentary carried by the country's official Korean Central News Agency, referring
to the South Korean administration as "Lee's group."
"It is the steadfast stand of the whole nation that nothing can be expected from
this traitorous regime," it said.
Blocked entry into North Korea could seriously damage over 80 South Korean
businesses operating factories in the North's border town of Kaesong.
Many officials here believe the North will not actually take any steps that could
seriously hurt the inter-Korean industrial complex, where over 35,000 North
Koreans are currently employed earning hard currency for their cash-strapped
country.
Others say the communist nation rarely bluffs, noting Pyongyang still refuses to
apologize over the deadly shooting of a South Korean tourist at its Mount
Geumgang resort, which has led to the shutdown of the South Korea-developed
resort that has earned millions of dollars since its opening 10 years ago.
The two Koreas technically remain at war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended only
with a cease-fire, not a peace agreement.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
Korea's recent proposal for inter-Korean dialogue, claiming the proposal is
nothing but an attempt to evade responsibility for the worsening relationship
between the two Koreas.
Seoul on Thursday urged the communist nation to come to the dialogue table, one
day after Pyongyang threatened to block passage by all South Korean tourists and
businesspeople engaged in inter-Korean projects across the border that divides
the two Koreas.
The North has yet to officially reply to the South Korean message addressed to
the North's chief delegate to the general-grade military dialogue between the
divided Koreas. Pyongyang said the border will be shut down from Dec. 1.
In an apparent response to Seoul's call to resume inter-Korean dialogue, the
North's Rodong Sinmun, the newspaper published by its ruling Workers' Party, on
Monday claimed the proposal is nothing but an attempt to redirect public
criticism over shattered inter-Korean ties toward Pyongyang.
"Needless to say, such tragic developments as the deadlocked North-South dialogue
are attributable to traitor Lee Myung-bak's treacherous 'policy toward the North'
and the frantic moves of his group to scuttle dialogue," the newspaper said in a
commentary carried by the country's official Korean Central News Agency, referring
to the South Korean administration as "Lee's group."
"It is the steadfast stand of the whole nation that nothing can be expected from
this traitorous regime," it said.
Blocked entry into North Korea could seriously damage over 80 South Korean
businesses operating factories in the North's border town of Kaesong.
Many officials here believe the North will not actually take any steps that could
seriously hurt the inter-Korean industrial complex, where over 35,000 North
Koreans are currently employed earning hard currency for their cash-strapped
country.
Others say the communist nation rarely bluffs, noting Pyongyang still refuses to
apologize over the deadly shooting of a South Korean tourist at its Mount
Geumgang resort, which has led to the shutdown of the South Korea-developed
resort that has earned millions of dollars since its opening 10 years ago.
The two Koreas technically remain at war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended only
with a cease-fire, not a peace agreement.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
