S. Korean premier ready to provide aid to North without conditions

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2006/May/theworld_May293.xml§ion=theworld&col=

SEOUL, South Korea - South Korea’s President Roh Moo-hyun said he plans to make lots of concessions to communist North Korea and provide it with unconditional aid, in an effort to build trust, his office said on Wednesday.

Roh made the announcement as his predecessor, Kim Dae-jung, prepared to visit the North to meet with its leader, Kim Jong Il, amid speculation that the trip might lead to a breakthrough in stalled six-nation talks on Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.

“I’m going to make a lot of concessions (to North Korea),” Roh told South Korean residents during a visit to Mongolia on Tuesday, according to a transcript provided by the presidential office.

“Other than making concessions on fundamental issues ... I’m going to provide institutional and material aid without conditions,” he said.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

1. Bet that's going to light a fire at NeoCon headquarters.

[Poll_Blind]

2. Chavez' "Butter Diplomacy" pays off in a different arena. n/t

PB

[Disturbed]

3. A wise move.

It is sad that NK has such a system with leaders that are so uncaring for their people.

[Poll_Blind]

6. Using trade to economically soften the enemy is wiser than threats.

Yes it is very sad what the NK regime is subjecting its people to. It is warming to hear that SK is willing to offer food aid to them- hungry people remember where their food comes from and generally don't forget. This pays off on a number of levels but should NK ever attack SK (in what would almost surely be a conventional strike), it's good to know that a large percentage of the NK soldiers will know that they've just been told to shoot at the same people who have helped feed them.

In that case, I think if NK makes any idiotic moves it could result in an "instant putsch".

PB

[charlie]

4. So, a pointless 5-year interlude

after Bush humiliated former president Kim Dae Jung and embarassed Colin Powell, S Korea is going to restart its "sunshine policy." 5 years of tension and brinksmanship, only to return to the course that our pissant helped scuttle. Swell. Thanks for fucking us over and wasting everyone's time, GeeDub.

[One Honest Guy]

5. Not really.

I think South Koreans finally understand that the US military giant is not that much of a giant and won't be able to fully protect them in every possible circumstance. (9/11, Iraqi insurgency, backing off on N. Korean nuclear programme).

You wouldn't believe how right wing the South Korean politics are, and population in general. Liberals in S. Korea, at least ones with any kind of significant decision making positions are a minority and by EU/US standards they barely register as Liberals on most issues to begin with.