Inter-Korean crisis - EDITORIAL from the Korea Times on Nov. 25)

Inter-Korean relations have been thrown into their worst crisis since President Lee Myung-bak took office in February. On Monday, North Korea decided to suspend tours to Gaeseong, just north of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), and cross-border rail services starting Dec. 1. It is apparent that the decision is designed to protest
Lee's hard-line policy toward the recalcitrant country.

First we cannot but express deep concern about the North's reckless and hostile move
which could no doubt put the inter-Korean ties into jeopardy. The move followed
Pyongyang's Nov. 12 threat to strictly control border crossings from next month,
accusing the South of causing a deadlock in the inter-Korean cooperation and
reconciliation. The threat is seen as a well-calculated step to tame the Lee
administration.

Thus, the planned suspension of the Gaeseong tour project for South Koreans and the
rail services signals the North's complete return to its Cold War-style brinkmanship
tactics. Pyongyang has been demanding the conservative Seoul government implement
agreements reached during the two inter-Korean summits ??? first in 2000 and then in
2007. This demand is nothing but the North's bid to get unconditional economic aid
from the South.

In fact, the Kim Jong-il regime had enjoyed generous aid from Lee's predecessors ???
former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun ??? whose liberal governments tried
to promote national reconciliation by advocating the ``sunshine policy" of active
engagement with the North. But the South-North ties began to strain from the start
of Lee's presidency due to his policy of linking aid to the communist state's
progress in denuclearization.

It is regrettable that the North has tried to backpedal on its denuclearization
commitment, increase tensions on the peninsula with nuclear blackmail, and threaten
to go back to Cold War confrontations with the South and other neighbors. Pyongyang
should realize that its latest threat against Seoul would only do more harm than
good to the impoverished state.

The Mt. Geumgang tourism project came to a halt in July when a South Korean
housewife was shot to death by a North Korean guard at the scenic mountain resort.
If the Gaeseong tour program is stopped as planned, the North will suffer from a
considerable loss. In addition, Pyongyang has threatened to expel half of South
Korean officials and businessmen from the inter-Korean industrial complex in
Gaeseong. This step would unquestionably deal a severe setback to the complex's
operation.

The Citizen's Solidarity for Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation estimates that the
closure of the complex could bring over 500 billion won ($350 million) in investment
losses to the South. It also warns that the North will not be able to attract
foreign investment in the future as the closure will hurt its international
credibility.

The Geumgang and Gaeseong tourism projects and the industrial park are not only the
symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation but also a cash cow for the
famine-stricken North. Therefore, we call on the North to give up its
self-destructive attempt to turn the clock back. Let's move toward co-prosperity.
(END)