Pyongyang reluctant to soften on Lee gov't: legislator

By Shin Hae-in

SEOUL, Nov. 19 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is unlikely to reverse its recent hostile actions unless the South Korean government assumes full responsibility for the erosion in inter-Korean relations, a South Korean legislator visiting Pyongyang was quoted as saying Wednesday.
Twenty lawmakers from Seoul's Democratic Labor Party (DLP) made a five-day visit
to the North Korean capital last week, with hopes of mediating a repair in frayed
relations between the two Koreas. The delegation was to return to Seoul later
Wednesday.
The visit came shortly after the communist North threatened to restrict passages
across the countries' shared border, further straining already tense relations.
The minority party was carrying a request by South Korea's Vice Unification
Minister, Hong Yang-ho, who asked the DLP chairman to tell North Korea that Seoul
has not "completely turned away" from deals struck under Seoul's previous liberal
governments. The message is seen as an apparent effort to mend ties.
"North Korea remains very tough toward the Lee Myung-bak administration," said
vice DLP spokesman Bu Sung-hyun, quoting Rep. Park Sung-hup after their phone
conversation earlier Wednesday. Park was among the 20-member delegation.
"North Korea made clear it has no intention to make necessary moves (to improve
ties) until the Lee government changes its stance."
Relations between Seoul and Pyongyang have been strained since the conservative
Lee Myung-bak took office in late February.
Taking a tougher position toward the nuclear-armed state than his predecessors,
President Lee has made clear on several occasions that his government will not
expand inter-Korean cooperation projects until North Korea abandons all of its
nuclear ambitions.
In its latest hostile move against the Lee government, Pyongyang announced last
Wednesday it will partially close the inter-Korean border, which could
effectively suspend operations at a joint industrial complex on the outskirts of
the North Korean town of Kaesong.
The joint industrial site is seen as the last remaining symbol of inter-Korean
reconciliation efforts after tours to North Korea's Mount Geumgang were suspended
in July following the shooting death of a South Korean tourist there.
Among other things, Pyongyang criticizes the Lee government for refusing to carry
out the two major inter-Korean deals struck under Seoul's former administrations.
The two stalled accords, struck in 2000 and 2007, call for expanded economic
cooperation and reunion opportunities for families separated by the 1950-53
Korean War.
"Active discussions were held on implementation of the two joint agreements," the
DLP spokesperson said.
Pyongyang's Korean Central News Agency also reported earlier that Seoul's DLP and
North Korea's Social Democratic Party, which invited its counterpart to
Pyongyang, held "productive discussions" on the two stalled deals.
Leaders of the two parties signed a joint statement calling for their immediate
implementation after the discussion.
The two Koreas, divided and technically still at war, are both members of the
six-party nuclear disarmament talks, aimed at denuclearizing the North in return
for economic aid.
Established in 2002, the DLP, controlling five seats in the 299-member unicameral
house, is considered the most pro-Pyongyang among South Korean political parties
and has visited the North Korean capital on two other separate occasions.