S. Korea mulling timing for joining anti-WMD campaign: minister

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, April 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea remains committed to its decision to take
part in a U.S.-led counter-proliferation campaign, Seoul's top diplomat said
Thursday, dismissing speculation the government may reverse itself to keep alive
budding inter-Korean contact.
"There is no change in the government's position and principle that the
Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) is needed in terms of international
cooperation in curbing the spread of missiles and weapons of mass destruction
(WMD)," Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan told reporters.
But he did not specify when Seoul will make the long-delayed announcement to join
the PSI, aimed at interdicting suspected trafficking of WMD and related
materials. The North strongly protests the South's participation in the PSI,
warning it will be regarded as a declaration of war.
"The concrete timing for participation will be made in comprehensive
consideration of various situations. I hope you will entrust the issue to the
government," he said, reiterating his answer at the National Assembly on
Wednesday.
South Korea delayed announcing its PSI participation to after the inter-Korean
talks on Tuesday, the first under the conservative Lee Myung-bak administration.
The 22-minute meeting, which the North used to deliver its demand for better
contract terms involving operations at the Kaesong industrial complex, produced
no breakthrough in icy inter-Korean relations, but South Korean officials view it
as providing much-needed momentum for future talks.
The factory area, located just north of heavily-armed border, is home to about
100 South Korean firms manufacturing clothing, kitchenware and other
labor-intensive products. It is designed to mix the communist North's cheap labor
and the capitalist South's funds.
The government, hoping to keep the complex alive, is weighing the North's
proposal to meet again in the near future.
President Lee's aides are reportedly split over when to make public the PSI
decision. Some say the timing should be decided prudently in accordance with
progress in inter-Korean talks while others insist the government should not wait
any longer.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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