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North Korea has openly slammed Hyundai Asan for ousting its former vice chairman Kim Yoon-kyu, for many years the company¡¯s point man in setting up its tour packages to the North. In a statement read by a spokesman of Pyongyang¡¯s Asia Pacific Peace Committee on Thursday, the North said it is reconsidering its business deals with Hyundai because of the South Korean company¡¯s ¡°unreliability¡± but stopped short of demanding the disgraced executive¡¯s reinstatement.
¡°We cannot proceed with the tourist project to Kaesong with Hyundai any more,¡± the statement said. ¡°We are forced to negotiate with other South Korean companies. We have no reason to honor the business agreement on seven projects with Hyundai when the person with whom we reached the agreement is gone.¡±
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Hyundai chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun and former vice-chairman Kim Yoon-kyu pay a visit to the grave of the late former Hyundai chairman Chung Mong-heon in Gyeonggi Province in 2003.
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Pyongyang said it was angry that Hyundai chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun ousted Kim, who succeeded former Hyundai chairman Chung Mong-heon as the direct negotiator in business deals with North Korea. It said allegations that Kim embezzled a portion of the public inter-Korean Cooperation Fund were a ¡°fabrication¡± and blasted South Korea¡¯s main opposition Grand National Party for suggesting the North might have had its fingers in the till as well.
Hyundai said it was baffled by the sudden announcement given that it explained the situation to Pyongyang several times and was trying to restore mutual trust. ¡°We believe in the trusting relationship we have built up with North Korea,¡± the company said. ¡°Chairwoman Hyun Jeong-eun is also determined to ensure the success of the inter-Korean business projects. We will take time negotiating seriously with the North.¡± Hyundai did not say whether Kim could return to the company.
Vice Unification Minister Lee Bong-jo commented the last part of the statement ¡°hints at the possibility of resolving the situation. We need to note that the North did not exclude all possibilities of settling the issue through dialogue with Hyundai.¡± Lee added North Korea should honor the agreement on the seven projects.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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