Lift Sanctions?

The South Korean warship Cheonan sits on a barge after being raised from the sea floor in March 2010. The Cheonan was sunk by a North Korean torpedo.
The South Korean warship Cheonan sits on a barge after being raised from the sea floor in March 2010. The Cheonan was sunk by a North Korean torpedo.

 

 “We need to try harder to address the separated families issue and be willing to give North Korea what it wants if necessary to that end,” a high-ranking official in the South Korean government said on Dec. 5, adding, “Once an inter-Korean meeting takes place, agenda items of both Koreas should be talked over.” He continued, “Our May 24 Sanctions may be properly handled in such a meeting as well.”

Under the circumstances, it is said that the South Korean government is moving to discuss various issues with Pyongyang in a comprehensive manner, including the separated families issue. Still, the official stressed that the May 24 Sanctions would be lifted only after the North takes responsibility for the sinking of the Cheonan. According to insiders, opinions about the comprehensive approach are split in the South Korean government itself.

“Reunion of the separated families is one of the top priority issues with most of them growing older, which means a regular reunion and exchange of letters are urgent,” he commented, adding, “When it comes to the cancellation of the second high-level meeting due to flyers, I think that the North took advantage of the matter, at least in part, to put pressure on us. We have to resolve this matter by means of talks nonetheless.”

He also remarked that North Korea showed some extemporaneous aspects regarding its South Korea measures while solidifying the leadership of Kim Jong-un, and made some unreasonable requests during that time. “Nevertheless, Seoul has been generous about the humanitarian aid and social and cultural exchange between the two Koreas, trying to approve of as many of them as possible, and is willing to provide Jeju tangerines if Pyongyang makes a request for them,” he went on to say.

He also praised the Park Geun-hye administration’s North Korea policy for the past two years, dubbed the Korean Peninsula Trust-building Process, as based on well-established principles. However, he added that the government should be regretful of the continuation of the stalemate.

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