Roh was responding to questions in a meeting with newspaper editors at Cheong Wa Dae. A Cheong Wa Dae official provided the customary gloss on presidential remarks, saying regionalism was what Roh meant by "structural problems.” The president has called for suggestions to stop specific parties from sweeping all the seats in a particular region by changing Korea's current one-member-one-district system into a multimember system.

President Roh Moo-hyun answers questions at a meeting with newspaper editors at Cheong Wa Dae on Thursday.

Turning to the idea of coalition government that has lately been at the center of debate, Roh said coalitions “are a legal and appropriate political act accepted globally and universally... Even in Korea, you can attempt to form coalitions publicly or secretly." Asked why he had brought up the idea, he said, "It would be an initial success if the citizens come to understand that 'coalition' is not a dirty word."

Editors also asked about the North Korean nuclear dispute. "Ultimately, it's not easy to arrange successful talks between North Korea, the world's most stubborn state, and the U.S., the world's most assertive state, but neither side is at liberty to let the situation rupture,” he said. Nor can either side choose a situation South Korea does not want, he added.

Roh dismissed, however, hopes of an inter-Korean summit any time soon.

The president also said he was given a report saying Korea's security strategy is overly dependent on the U.S. He called for a stronger role for Korea and a return of operational control, which remains with U.S. forces in case of an emergency on the peninsula, to Seoul.

(englishnews@chosun.com )