NAPSNet Daily Report Friday, August 17, 2007
- 1. Introduction
2. Survey on Summit
3. Last Summit in Vain
4. Acknowledge DPRK’s Limits
5. Choice Between Cooperation or Regime Change
6. Summit Aids Six-Party Talks
7. Build Trust Through Economic Cooperation
8. ROK Must Get Most Benefit
9. Need for Women’s Participation
10. Focus on Inter-Ethnic Cooperation
I. ROK Weekly Report
1. Introduction
ROK Weekly Report (“The Second Inter-Korean Summit”, 2007-08-17) This week’s report focuses on the response in the ROK to the announcement of a second North-South summit, to be held in Pyongyang from August 25. Liberal commentators and NGOs welcomed the announcement and expressed optimism that the summit’s results will promote both denuclearization of the DPRK and inter-Korean relations, while skeptics argued that the summit will only further weaken US-ROK relations. A poll shows that a majority of ROK people want the summit to focus on denuclearization.
2. Survey on Summit
Maeil Shinmun (“60% OF NETIZENS: ‘DPRK MUST PROMISE TO DISCARD ALL NUCLEAR PROGRAMS'”, 2007-08-16) writes that in a survey conducted from August 12-16 with 2,658 participants, 60.96% cited “discarding all nuclear programs” as the most important thing to be discussed at the summit. 15.87% voted for peace on the Korean peninsula, 10.16% for economic cooperation, 5.48% for regular summit meetings, and 2.4% for reunion of separated families. Also, 48.29% said that they were worried about one-way economic cooperation, and 25.34% were worried about unclear solving of nuclear issue the most.
3. Last Summit in Vain
Donga Ilbo (“7 YEARS SINCE 6.15 AND EMPTY FEELINGS”, 2007-08-08) writes that after 7 years since the first North-South summit meeting, there are only empty feelings left. Most of the agreements made on the summit meeting were not achieved, and Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun continued to give economic support as if pouring water into a vat with a hole. However, the DPRK refused to open its doors or give up their hopes of a reunified Korea under communism. Faced with such an attitude from the DPRK, the ROK chimed in with talk of “independence” and worsened the ROK-US relationship. The result was early transition of wartime operational control over the military. All this was the result of the first summit meeting; that’s enough reason to look at the second summit meeting with more careful eyes.
4. Acknowledge DPRK’s Limits
PRESSian (“SUMMIT, CALM ATMOSPHERE IS BETTER”, 2007-08-16) writes that at this summit, the ROK needs to acknowledge the DPRK’s limits while strengthening the cooperative relationship between the two Koreas. This is the strategy for achieving a concrete agreement on ROK-DPRK relations while following the principles regarding nuclear and peace issues. It writes that ROK must be strategic and balanced when dealing with ethnic, international, and peace issues. This will be a starting point of political reconciliation and economic interdependence. The article states the necessity of the government to suggest “a framework for cooperative discussion” to further develop the June 15, 2000 Declaration.
5. Choice Between Cooperation or Regime Change
Peace Foundation (“CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF THE 2ND NORTH-SOUTH SUMMIT”, 2007-08-10) writes that Kim Jong-il seems to be hoping to settle issues like giving up the nuclear program and improvement of the DPRK-US relationship. It adds that the DPRK will revitalize the North-South relationship and use the ROK as a lever to make this talk beneficial to them, so that in the long run they can make a new base for their regime. At this point there are two main things the DPRK wants: One is to improve the DPRK-US relationship and open a new ruling ideology, and the other is to put the North-South relationship on a more stable military and economic basis. The article concludes that we need to make clear whether we are going to cooperate with the DPRK and make peace or reject their cooperation and try to push for a change of their regime.
6. Summit Aids Six-Party Talks
Seoul Shinmun (“EFFECTS ON THE 6 PARTY TALKS”, 2007-08-09) writes that the second North-South summit meeting will bring good effects to the six-party talks, especially since it is right before the second stage of 2.13 Agreement. It writes that the key is how much effort President Roh Moo-hyun and Kim Jong-il put in to bring out a good result, and as peace in Northeast Asia is not only a matter of the two Koreas, it is important to tune things up so the two Koreas don’t lose control in this matter.
7. Build Trust Through Economic Cooperation
Yonhap News (“WHAT ROH’S EMPHASIS ON ECONOMIC COOPERATION MEANS”, 2007-08-14) writes that President Roh has announced the main agenda on the summit table will be economic cooperation, as it can work as a lever to establishing peace on the Korean peninsula and to solving nuclear issues. It can be seen that if the DPRK and the ROK could build trust through economic cooperation, this would have positive effects on the six-party talks, and with an improved nuclear roadmap, it could again bring power to the two Koreas’ economies.
8. ROK Must Get Most Benefit
Hankyoreh (“EXPECTATIONS ON THE SUMMIT”, 2007-08-08) writes that there are three agendas on the summit table. One is to make sure of the DPRK’s decision to give up all nuclear programs; the second is to find a new roadmap for economic cooperation apart from the style taken until now, and the third is to make a fundamental framework for peace on the Korean Peninsula. On the other hand, the government should do its best and it is their duty toward the citizens to get the most benefit possible through cooperation during the summit meeting.
9. Need for Women’s Participation
Korean Women’s Association United (“WE HOPE THE 2ND SUMMIT MEETING COULD BECOME A HOPE TO PEACE IN NEA”, 2007-08-17) writes that they hope the 2nd north-south summit meeting could be an opportunity to end war and bring peace by denuclearization in Northeast Asia and establish economic cooperation between the two countries. It also added we must include women’s participation in the process of holding a summit meeting, organizing representative teams, and establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula.
10. Focus on Inter-Ethnic Cooperation
Peace Network (“WE WELCOME THE 2ND NORTH-SOUTH SUMMIT MEETING”, 2007-08-08) writes that we must look closely into the fact that the summit meeting was organized when there were many voices worrying about the North-South relationship being pushed aside because of the sudden six-party talks. The two Koreas were in danger of establishing peace while staying as a divided country and not a united one, but now we are facing an opportunity to establish intra-ethnic cooperation along with international cooperation. Some people say this summit meeting is only a tool for the upcoming presidential election, but that portrayal is overdrawn, and focusing only on the minor issue of the summit meeting’s effect on the presidential election would only cause criticisms.