By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter


Rep. Park Geun-hye

Rep. Park Geun-hye Monday called on North Korea to address its humanitarian issues, including South Korean prisoners-of-war (POWs) and reunion services for the peninsula’s separated families, in return for Seoul’s humanitarian aid.
In a luncheon meeting organized by the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, the chairwoman of the largest opposition Grand National Party (GNP) suggested that Pyongyang reciprocate Seoul’s humanitarian favors, such as food and fertilizer aid.

She also urged the government to implement its policies on North Korea in a ``much more transparent manner.’’

``Although humanitarian aid such as food and fertilizer would need to be continued, we should also remember that we are more than qualified to ask the North to return our favor on equally humanitarian issues,’’ Park said.

On the issues of the South Koreans abducted by the North and North Korean refugees, the government ``should say what needs to be said and the North must honor its promises,’’ the GNP leader emphasized, criticizing the so-called ``silent diplomacy’’ toward the North that the government has pursued.

On Sunday, the government agreed to send an additional 150,000 tons of fertilizer to North Korea, the Unification Ministry said. Seoul sent 200,000 tons of fertilizer to the North last month.

Park called on the countries involved in the six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue to speak with one voice to persuade the North to abandon its nuclear ambitions, stressing the need for a ``bold and comprehensive approach’’ to resolve the 32-month-long nuclear standoff.

The six-party talks, involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia, have been stalled for a year. North Korea has rejected rejoining the talks, citing the U.S.’s ``hostile’’ policy toward it.

``The five countries should make very clear to North Korea what kind of epochal incentives it can expect, should it completely give up its nuclear program,’’ the GNP leader said.

She said that possible incentives for the North include security guarantees, economic assistance as well as the establishment of diplomatic relations between Washington and Pyongyang.

Park, however, emphasized that participating nations in the six-party nuclear talks should clarify what ``harsh disincentives’’ would follow if the North pushes ahead with its nuclear program.

The opposition leader also suggested that bilateral talks between the U.S. and the North be resumed within the six-party framework in order to dispel the longstanding distrust between the two nations and resolve the nuclear deadlock.

Park praised the results of a summit meeting between President Roh Moo-hyun and U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington on June 10 and the inter-Korean ministerial talks in Seoul last week.

As for the party’s reform measures, the leader of the conservative GNP reiterated a shift in her party’s policy toward ``flexible pragmatism.’’

``We will shed the age-old ideological dispute between conservatives and progressives, and adopt an approach of flexible pragmatism under which we will readily accept legislation and policies based on the Constitution that can contribute to fostering an advanced nation,’’ she said.

gallantjung@koreatimes.co.kr