President says N. Korean threat not worrisome

By Byun Duk-kun

SEOUL, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said Monday North Korea's recent threats do not pose any immediate danger and that his government is always ready to enter dialogue with the communist nation to resolve outstanding issues.

"I am very aware there are people who are concerned about the recent series of
North Korean threats. But you do not need to worry too much," the president said
in his bi-weekly radio address.
"The government is ready to sit down with North Korea at any time and resolve
every issue," he added.
North Korea last month said it will no longer honor past accords reached between
the two Koreas, including a 1991 agreement in which Pyongyang recognized the
U.N.-drawn Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the Yellow Sea. The de facto border on
the west coast has been the site of two deadly naval clashes in 1999 and 2002.
Appearing in a nationally televised program late last month, the South Korean
president said his administration would soon hold dialogue with North Korea,
which has refused to talk to the incumbent Seoul government since it was
inaugurated a year ago.
Lee on Monday said the government would not make the same mistake as its
predecessors by rushing into inter-Korean dialogue without first questioning
Pyongyang's intentions.
"I believe it is better to start off with a little difficulty, but ensure things
are set right to reach a positive outcome, instead of trying to figure out what
North Korea wants while saying all is well that ends well," he said.
The president has repeatedly said North Korea must give as much as it takes.
Inter-Korean relations greatly affected the country's business environment during
the Cold War era, but the president insists this no longer is the case and that
this gives Seoul more room to maneuver and more ways to engage Pyongyang.
"We are ready to work with North Korea. North Korea, too, must realize the South
is the only country in the entire world that is sincerely concerned for its
future and willing to help it," Lee said.
The president also said that sticking to one's principles is important in trying
to overcome the ongoing economic crisis.
Lee noted that he is often described by critics as being too pro-chaebol, or
employer-friendly, but said his one and only principle is to create jobs.
"What I mean by business-friendly (policies) is that I will support businesses so
they can create jobs... And I can withstand listening to even displeasing remarks
if those policies will give jobs to our fathers and young people," he said.
Seoul has announced a number of ambitious economic stimulus packages that,
according to the government, will help create nearly 1 million jobs in the coming
years.
The projects came under heavy criticism almost immediately after they were
announced, however, with opponents saying they would only end up providing
temporary, low-paying jobs and create far fewer full-time jobs than claimed.