President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday slammed North Korea's extravagant celebrations of nation founder Kim Il-sung's birthday at a time when the impoverished country seems headed for another famine. "My view is that North Korea needs to get sensible. When their people are suffering, the government spent W6 billion (US$1=W1,118) on fireworks to celebrate the birthday. How much corn could you have bought with that money?" Lee said in a meeting of 800 North American advisors to the National Unification Advisory Council.

"The North Korean government also reportedly imported luxury cars from all over the world to give to key ranking officials as present," he said. "How good it would be if it were to say 'We will not carry on with the fireworks as things are difficult for the people'? It's such a pity."

This was the first time that Lee has publicly criticized the North Korean dictatorship. The remark did not come in direct relation to the sinking of South Korean naval corvette Cheonan, but observers speculate that they reflect a harder line in the Lee administration as suspicions grow that the North attacked the ship.

Lee also hinted that senior military officers may be brought to book over the shipwreck that happened on their watch. "It's not desirable to do it right now. I don't mean that I won't, but I'm saying I will do it objectively. I'm going to consider the best timing in regard to national security, and do it not only in an exacting way but also in a way that will minimize damage to the morale of the military," he said.