New S. Korean gov't needs 'forward
发布时间:2024-09-22 07:16:15 作者:玩站小弟 我要评论
Unification Minister Lee In-young speaks during a press conference at the Office of the Inter-Korean
。
Unification Minister Lee In-young speaks during a press conference at the Office of the Inter-Korean Dialogue, April 6. Yonhap |
South Korea's outgoing point man on North Korea urged the country's incoming administration Wednesday to adopt a "forward-looking" approach toward North Korea, especially in order to prevent nuclear weapons testing amid heightening tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Unification Minister Lee In-young made the remarks during his last regular press conference in his capacity as the liberal Moon Jae-in government's top official on Pyongyang.
Earlier this week, Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, issued a statement warning that her country could use nuclear forces against South Korea to "take initiative at the outset of war."
"The North has broken its moratorium on intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) and there are many signs regarding nuclear weapons tests as well. We must put an end to this right here," Lee said.
A silver lining is that the North has not crossed the "red line" yet in terms of the moratorium on nuclear testing, which is regarded as a far more serious strategic provocation than the launching of a long-range missile on a lofted angle. Even China and Russia did not conceal their uneasiness or anger over the North's previous underground nuclear weapons tests.
Concerns have grown about the future of already soured inter-Korean ties, with Moon, who has endeavored to advance the Korea peace process, set to be succeeded by Yoon Suk-yeol of the conservative People Power Party in May.
The minister said the Yoon administration needs to seek a "very forward-looking and active policy for peace" to stop the North from testing its nuclear weapons and create momentum for the resumption of dialogue. He raised the need for Yoon to take a "contrarian" approach amid the widespread view that conservative South Korean administrations tend to be more hawkish toward Pyongyang than liberal ones.
Meanwhile, a senior ministry official said later that the South has reached out to the North to confirm of the fate of the South Korean-built facilities at the Mount Geumgang resort, after detecting signs of the North dismantling some of them.
"We have asked the North (for confirmation) via inter-Korean communication lines but it has not made any official announcement," the official said on condition of anonymity, referring to a floating hotel known as Haegumgang.
Pyongyang had earlier announced that it would remove the facilities at Mount Geumgang, once regarded as a key symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation and economic cooperation, since leader Kim called for tearing down all "unpleasant-looking" facilities in 2019.
Tensions have escalated recently on the Korean Peninsula after the North launched its first ICBM since November 2017, formally ending its self-imposed moratorium on long-range missile testing, last month.
Observers here voice worries that the North could engage in additional provocative acts, like a nuclear weapons test, on the occasion of the 110th anniversary of the birth of its founding leader Kim Il-sung, April 15, and the founding anniversary of the North Korean People's Revolutionary Army, April 25.
They say Pyongyang may try to use additional provocations to put more pressure on the new South Korean government to be launched May 10 and the Joe Biden administration ahead of the mid-term elections in November. (Yonhap)
相关文章
If aliens harnessed solar power, could we detect them? NASA investigated.
Somewhere in the galaxy, an advanced alien civilization might harness energy from its star. And NASA2024-09-22- 本报讯我市就业训练中心将从3月中旬起开办免费创业培训班,有创业愿望的我市下岗失业人员、大中专毕业生、农民工等各类城乡劳动者均可免费参加。据悉,就业训练中心将采取短期培训的方式,每期课程7至10天,培训2024-09-22
清远市市长温文星:力争2024年清远鸡、麻竹笋产业综合产值突破百亿
清远市市长温文星:力争2024年清远鸡、麻竹笋产业综合产值突破百亿_南方+_南方plus1月24日下午3时,广东省十四届人大二次会议召开地市专场记者会。会上,清远市委副书记、市长温文星记者提问时表示,2024-09-22- 在情人节当天领取结婚证的小夫妻洋溢着幸福的笑容本报讯 昨14)日,情人节这天雨城区迎来兔年第一波结婚登记高峰。当日,市区共有80对新人办理了结婚登记手续。浪漫的情人节,除了代表爱情的鲜花受到情侣热捧,2024-09-22
Scientists detect water sloshing on Mars. There could be a lot.
A pioneering NASA robot detected over a thousand quakes on Mars. It also may have revealed a huge re2024-09-22- 本报讯 “在办理出入境证照的过程中,我们发现了有人打着出国旅游的幌子申请办理出入境证照,而实际是出国之后进行劳务活动。”21日,市公安局出入境管理处的民警告诉记者,现在是出国劳务办证的高峰时期,民警根2024-09-22
最新评论