Presidential office reacts calmly to N. Korean provocation

By Yoo Cheong-mo
SEOUL, Nov. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's presidential office, Cheong Wa Dae, on
Monday reacted calmly to North Korea's decision to close its overland border with
South Korea, saying the government will take a long-term approach to the issue of
reconciliation with the communist North.
A top Cheong Wa Dae secretary in charge of foreign and security policy also
expressed deep regrets at North Korea's abrupt decision to halt inter-Korean
railway service and South Koreans' tours to the North Korean border city of
Kaesong, as well as selectively expel South Korean personnel from an inter-Korean
industrial park in Kaesong, all starting on Dec. 1.
"The South Korean government remains determined to wait patiently until the
atmosphere is ripe for advanced dialogue with North Korea," said the presidential
secretary.
"North Korea's decision to close the cross-border traffic has been somewhat
anticipated, but we have serious regrets on the decision. A breakthrough in the
inter-Korean relations is unlikely for the time being. We'll just have a
long-term approach and refrain from excessively irritating the North," said the
secretary.
President Lee Myung-bak has so far said that he will stick to a wait-and-see
strategy toward North Korea, indicating his conservative administration won't
change the course of its North Korea policy even in the face of the communist
state's hard-line and provocative moves.
Following Pyongyang's announcement of its border closure decision, Cheong Wa Dae
briskly moved to devise countermeasures, with presidential chief of staff Chung
Chung-kil convening an emergency meeting of security-related ministers and
officials, including Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee, Unification Minister Kim
Ha-choong and Kim Seong-ho, director of the National Intelligence Service.
The latest North Korean move was also immediately reported to President Lee, who
is now staying in Los Angeles, California, after concluding his extended trip to
Latin America.
President Lee is scheduled to return home on Tuesday afternoon.
ycm@yna.co.kr
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