ID :
46841
Sat, 02/21/2009 - 21:29
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/46841
The shortlink copeid
N. Korea renews criticism of South's Lee after Clinton visit
SEOUL, Feb. 21 (Yonhap) -- North Korea vowed Saturday to retaliate against the South Korean government of President Lee Myung-bak, accusing him of maliciously slandering socialism it is upholding.
In a meeting with supporters last week, the conservative South Korean president
was quoted as saying that North Korea "would be better give up socialism if it
means it has to worry about three meals a day for its people."
The North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, a powerful party
organization handling inter-Korean relations, issued a statement on Sunday,
arguing that Lee maliciously defamed the dignity of socialism.
The committee's statement was carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency.
North Korea "will certainly settle accounts with the group of traitors through
the most merciless and resolute measure," the committee said, calling Lee as
head of the "traitors."
The committee said North Korea would never recognize the Lee government as its
dialogue partner.
No further details of the South Korean president's remarks were known but he
apparently was referring to the North's chronic food shortages. Pyongyang has
been relying on outside aid since the mid-1990s to help feed its 23 million
people.
The North's anti-South Korean criticism came a day after U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton visited South Korea and scolded the North for stepping up
its harsh rhetoric against the South.
Inter-Korean relations have significantly chilled since Lee took office a year
ago with a tougher stance on North Korea. He has halted free food aid to North
Korea, linking it to the North's denuclearization.
After meeting with South Korean leaders, including Lee, in Seoul on Friday,
Clinton said, "North Korea is not going to get a different relationship with the
United States while insulting and refusing dialogue" with South Korea.
There has been no North Korean reaction to Clinton's comments.
Recently, Pyongyang has stepped up its harsh rhetoric against Seoul amid fears of
a possible test-firing of its longest missile Taepodong-2.
The militaries of the two Koreas remain on heightened alert since mid-Janaury.
The two Koreas are technically in a state of war, having signed no peace treaty
at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.
(END)
In a meeting with supporters last week, the conservative South Korean president
was quoted as saying that North Korea "would be better give up socialism if it
means it has to worry about three meals a day for its people."
The North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea, a powerful party
organization handling inter-Korean relations, issued a statement on Sunday,
arguing that Lee maliciously defamed the dignity of socialism.
The committee's statement was carried by the North's Korean Central News Agency.
North Korea "will certainly settle accounts with the group of traitors through
the most merciless and resolute measure," the committee said, calling Lee as
head of the "traitors."
The committee said North Korea would never recognize the Lee government as its
dialogue partner.
No further details of the South Korean president's remarks were known but he
apparently was referring to the North's chronic food shortages. Pyongyang has
been relying on outside aid since the mid-1990s to help feed its 23 million
people.
The North's anti-South Korean criticism came a day after U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton visited South Korea and scolded the North for stepping up
its harsh rhetoric against the South.
Inter-Korean relations have significantly chilled since Lee took office a year
ago with a tougher stance on North Korea. He has halted free food aid to North
Korea, linking it to the North's denuclearization.
After meeting with South Korean leaders, including Lee, in Seoul on Friday,
Clinton said, "North Korea is not going to get a different relationship with the
United States while insulting and refusing dialogue" with South Korea.
There has been no North Korean reaction to Clinton's comments.
Recently, Pyongyang has stepped up its harsh rhetoric against Seoul amid fears of
a possible test-firing of its longest missile Taepodong-2.
The militaries of the two Koreas remain on heightened alert since mid-Janaury.
The two Koreas are technically in a state of war, having signed no peace treaty
at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.
(END)
