North Korea’s statement on the resumption of nuclear fuel rod reprocessing has naturally caused consternation. Leader of the Liberty Forward Party Lee Hoi Chang commented Monday, “While the North watches the reaction of international society, this is a step towards becoming a nuclear state.”
Governor Lee suggested at a party executive meeting in the National Assembly, “There should have been strong U.N. Security Council sanctions immediately after the North’s missile launch. They say that the U.N. Security Council has expressed its denouncement in the President’s Statement, but now, it has been shown clearly that the President’s Statement was futile.”
He said, “Mere words and resolutions cannot bring North Korean denuclearization into effect. Along with actions and sanctions, we have to enlighten North Korea to the fact that nuclear development will be a threat to the system itself.”
“To do so, above all, the Lee Myung Bak administration’s strong will for denuclearization is necessary,” he asserted.
He added, “The Lee administration should hold to strong principles and demands regarding the issues of the North reprocessing fuel rods, the South Korean employee detention case and the Kaesong Industrial Complex contract issues, and accomplish our aims. If the administration does not act practically, it cannot gain trust from the people.”
A spokeswoman for the Liberty Forward Party Park Sung Young also pointed out, “North Korea utters empty threats, saying that it will bring the denuclearization process of the Six Party Talks to naught. It is merely to declare that North Korean regime is an obstinate regime. We have to show our determination to such an injudicious and obstinate regime.”
Spokeswoman Park emphasized, “We have to terminate this process of trial and error, to lull and appease the North which has been playing with nuclear weapons. We have to use international cooperation to make sure that North Korea cannot speak a single word on the nuclear issue again.”
