Seoul urges Pyongyang not to use PSI to justify war threats

By Tony Chang
SEOUL, May 28 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is "severely distorting" the intention
behind South Korea's recent decision to join a U.S.-led anti-proliferation
campaign, Seoul's foreign ministry said Thursday, while urging Pyongyang to scrap
its nuclear and missile programs.

South Korea initially made the decision to join the Proliferation Security
Initiative (PSI) on Tuesday following the North's April 5 rocket launch, but it
had delayed a formal announcement in consideration of its efforts to resume
dialogue with the communist neighbor. Government officials said there was no
reason to wait any longer as North Korea carried out another nuclear experiment
on Monday.
"North Korea is severely distorting our government's decision to participate in
the international effort, in which 94 countries are already pitching in to
prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction," Moon Tae-young, spokesman for
the Foreign Ministry, said in a press briefing.
North Korea on Wednesday said it was nullifying the Korean War armistice and
warned of an immediate military strike should South Korea attempt to interdict
any of its ships as part of the PSI. Pyongyang has repeatedly warned that the
South's participation in the PSI would be tantamount to a declaration of war.
"The statements issued on Wednesday from the North's permanent military mission
to the joint security area and the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of
the Fatherland are absolutely groundless," Moon noted.
The spokesman illustrated that the PSI does not target North Korea but applies to
all vessels and aircrafts from all countries and also underscored that a 2005
inter-Korean maritime accord will continue to remain in effect.
Pyongyang should not use Seoul's PSI affiliation as an excuse to launch threats
against the South, Moon warned, calling upon the North to halt its nuclear and
missile programs.
Regarding the ongoing issue of whether Seoul should delay taking over wartime
control of its troops from the U.S. in 2012, Moon underscored that the government
"will respect the previous agreement reached by South Korea and the U.S."
South Korea is set to retake wartime operational control of its 655,000 troops
from the U.S. in April 2012. Control was relinquished to the U.S.-led U.N.
command at the onset of the Korean War. Peacetime control was returned in 1994.
"South Korea and the U.S. are carrying out the transition process based on a
strategic transition plan," said Moon.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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