To the South Korean Defense Minister

To the South Korean Defense Minister

The second inter-Korean defense ministers’ talks will open in Pyongyang on Tuesday. The latest round of talks are being held seven years after the first meeting took place in September of 2000 in South Korea’s southern resort island of Jeju. The agenda of the latest talks includes the designation of a joint fishing area in the West Sea, security guarantees for new inter-Korean business projects, and measures to build confidence between the two militaries. The South Korean delegation is worried that North Korea may raise the issue of redrawing the Northern Limit Line or NLL. The NLL was drawn up by the U.S.-led United Nations Command at the end of the Korean War and has served as the de facto maritime border between the two Koreas. South Korean Defense Minister Kim Jang-soo has repeatedly vowed to South Koreans that a redrawing of the NLL will not happen. Any settlement over a maritime border between the two Koreas is not possible simply by redrawing the NLL while the North Korean nuclear crisis and a military standoff continue. It is possible only after confidence is built up between the two militaries. Minister Kim has reiterated this point several times. During the last inter-Korean summit, Minister Kim maintained a straight posture in front of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, in stark contrast to other South Korean security-related officials who were busy bowing. He also maintained his solemn posture at the Arirang mass calisthenics performance, where South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun gave a standing ovation. Explaining his behavior, Minister Kim said, “I am the minister of a 680,000-strong military.” It was a brief but poignant comment. This is why the South Korean people are trusting Minister Kim as they watch the defense ministerial talks. But there are worries. President Roh said that the NLL is not a territorial demarcation, that the NLL was the result of a power struggle and that it could be redrawn without triggering any problems. Such comments may seem as if Roh has given up his capacity as the head of South Korea’s military, but Minister Kim must have felt pressured by them. Until now, the South Korean public has seen scores of government officials take the lead in towing the administration’s line with even more zeal than politicians. We urge Minister Kim to remember during his stay in Pyongyang that he does not serve only his administration but the Republic of Korea. As long as he keeps this firmly in mind, he will be able to see clearly through any hardship or obstacle.