Single-term presidency hampers inter-Korean talks: ex-minister

SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's former foreign minister said Friday that
the country's five-year single-term presidency is a major obstacle to maintaining
consistent dialogue with the North and proposed establishing a pan-national
consultative body to handle inter-Korean issues.
"(Cross-border) tensions have usually surfaced with the North trying to gain
leverage (in inter-Korean exchanges) when a new government is set up (in the
South)," Rep. Song Min-soon of the main opposition Democratic Party said on his
personal Web site.
The former minister did not elaborate how the proposed group would coordinate
with the existing Unification Ministry.
South-North Korean relations have chilled since Seoul's conservative Lee
Myung-bak government took office in February and adopted a tougher policy on
North Korea.
While both countries ultimately reach some form of agreement, inter-Korean
dialogue often lose momentum due to restraints from the five-year single term,
the former foreign minister said. Song served under the previous Roh Moo-hyun
administration.
Under the country's Constitution, the president cannot run for re-election.
The proposed consultative body, pan-national and non-partisan, should set up a
joint vision with the incoming U.S. administration on North Korea policies, Song
said.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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