Park Jie Won, the opposition Democratic Party floor leader in the National Assembly told a meeting today that he believes “This year is the last chance for an inter-Korean summit,” and called for renewed efforts to make the meeting happen.
Speaking in the National Assembly building this morning, Park declared, “There is not much time left. To bring about the summit, we who are living better have to take the hand offered by North Korea.”
“To solve problems of inter-Korean relations and the North Korean nuclear problem at the fundamental level we must hold an inter-Korean summit as soon as is feasible,” he went on.
Park was also heavily critical of leafleting operations by private groups which have recently drawn North Korea’s ire, saying that the government should restrain such activities. “This kind of psychological warfare can only incite security threats, and will only cause harm to the economy of northern Gyeonggi Province and the Gangwon area,” he claimed.
He also came out in favor of aid, saying, “The UN has recommended that the international community give 430,000 tons of urgent support to North Korea. We must help North Korea, which is laboring under a food crisis. Even if just for our rural areas, food aid for North Korea should happen as soon as possible.”
South Korea must solve all pending problems “while National Defense Commission Chairman Kim Jong Il is in control of the North Korean party, military and people, and is in good health,” he concluded,
