Chung Mong-joon of National Alliance 21 demanded Millennium Democratic Party presidential candidate Roh Moo-hyun to change his policy towards North Korea as part of their cooperation in running against the Grand National Party's Lee Hoi-chang. Strictly speaking this was highest agenda when they began negotiations on a single candidate, and should have been dealt with first, as there views were so divergent. Belatedly as this is, the demand is unavoidable if Chung is to support Roh.

The difference in their views on North Korea policy is the largest and the people have interest in watching this, as it is related to security on the Korean peninsula. Now that there is a crisis over the North's clandestine nuclear project, their views on this, Kim Dae-jung's "sunshine policy," Mount Kumgang tourism, and the Kaesong Industrial Complex affect the future of the people.

The positions of the two on the North Korea nuclear issue and provision of aid are clear enough. Roh said the suspension of development and a "hostile" US policy should go hand in hand and opposes American sanctions. On the other hand Chung links the nuclear development to assistance, a harsher view calling for a halt to aid unless the project is stopped.

On the November 27 TV debate to select a single candidate Chung said Roh's view on North Korea was dangerous, because he viewed the two countries as equal, which Roh called "Cold War thinking." In demanding a change in North Korea policy, Chung said some voters would be worried about this. The election is just over two weeks away, and so the two need to produce a compromise on their conflicting views, which is their responsibility now that there is a single candidate.

December 3, 2002