[imText1]Former President Kim Dae Jung (DJ) of S. Korea said, “The Sunshine Policy was a success,” and that, “It could have been even more successful had it not been for the North Korea-U.S. relationship.”
In order to solve problems such as the nuclear issue and other pending questions, he said, “We must have the summit talks,” and that, “At least if countries meet, conclusions will be made for the sake of history.” He added, “Hence if this is achieved, it would be difficult to make changes after conservative forces have seized political power.”
DJ asserted that the U.S. and Japan must first maintain a genuine attitude towards the resolution of North Korea’s nuclear issue in order to solve it.
On the morning of the 3rd, the day North Korea publicly announced the success of its nuclear tests, DJ said in an interview with The Kyunghyang Shinmun, “If the U.S. and Japan are serious about solving the nuclear issue there is a definite solution.”
He said, “The U.S. and Japan continue to strengthen their alliance and create a Missile Defense Alarm System (MD) and Japan reiterates revising the constitution. If those people are influencing China with underlying motives and making North Korea look like a villain, using it as a sacrifice for their own world power, then there is no hope of resolution.”
He claimed, “If North Korea does conduct a nuclear test, the U.S. will intensify its MD system and military defense on a greater scale and Japan will raise its voice in preparing nuclear armaments.” He asserted, “The U.S. must speedily resolve North Korea’s BDA issue and then conduct reciprocal negotiations.”
Further, he said, “U.S. measures are unsatisfactory. On the basis of evidence, North Korea should be made to take responsibility for BDA or if no evidence can be procured, then the U.S. should try and resolve the issue for them. However, the situation is not running smoothly.”
DJ also added, “I am saying that North Korea has many honorable characteristics and that they are ready for a nuclear moratorium and participation in the 6-Party Talks. Particularly, if there is evidence for the BDA case, let it out in the open. Then we must all attend the 6-Party Talks in order to settle the case.”
He said, “In the end, it is South Korea that will experience the greatest threat,” and that, “North Korea must not resort to nuclear weapons just because the BDA issue is delayed.”
