South Korea’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Kim Sung Hwan, has reiterated the government’s stance on North Korea’s recent calls for dialogue, saying that they are a disguise, a charm offensive towards the rest of the world aimed at creating divisions in South Korea.
In an interview with Yonhap News, Kim, pointing out that the South Korean people have been attacked three times since the Lee Myung Bak government came to power, said, “If you look at the way they have just aimed to secure economic aid through talks without any reference to that, it’s hard to believe they are sincere.”
When asked whether a summit could be used to solve the issues, he replied, “North Korea is aware of what they have to do. In the present situation we would have nothing to say to them at summit talks, (but) we have no reason to avoid them.”
Further, regarding the persistent calls from North Korea for a peace treaty with the United States, Kim suggested, “It is North and South Korea who need to establish a peace treaty.”
“Such an agreement would be more valuable if the U.S. and China participated or acted as guarantors,” Kim conceded, but added, “It’s not the U.S. Army they have been facing at the Military Demarcation Line, but us.”
Regarding the possibility of a third nuclear test at Pungye-ri in North Hamkyung Province, he indicated, “We haven’t yet detected any such movements in Hamkyung Province, but we can never discount the possibility of a third test either.”
In addition, he responded to North Korea’s claims that its Uranium Enrichment Program (UEP) is for peaceful purposes, saying, “If it’s for peaceful use then they should become a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and implement safety measures as directed by the IAEA,” stressing that any talk of the UEP’s peaceful intentions must come after accepting IAEA safety directives and returning to the NPT.
Asked about a divide between South Korea and China over the nuclear issue, Kim explained, “Fundamentally, China and South Korea have one clear and common objective, which is peace and safety on the Korean Peninsula and denuclearization from North Korea; we just differ in the particulars of how to reach that objective.”
