Seoul Looks Bent on Separate N.Korea Policy Roh Hints at Greater Urgency for Summit With N.Korea A Pointless Proposal The Proper Place to Announce Drastic Policy Shifts Inter-Korean Summit 'Could Resolve Nuclear Impasse'

Lee’s remark come on the heels of Roh’s offer to Pyongyang last week of an “unconditional” summit. The first inter-Korean summit took place in 2000 between former president Kim Dae-jung and North Korean leader Kim Il-sung.

Lee said in a situation where efforts to end North Korea’s nuclear ambitions are making little progress, Roh was showing a strong will to solve a string of problems by way of the South-North Korean relationship, from peace and economic cooperation between the two Koreas to the nuclear standoff.

But Lee said Roh’s mention of “unconditional support” to Pyongyang should be taken as an expression of “the president’s determination to actively work on building confidence between two Koreas” and was not related to the summit itself. Since the president had already stated he would hold talks “anytime and anywhere,” there was no reason he should make more concessions on top of it, Lee added.

Asked about an apparent divergence between Seoul and Washington in their North Korea policy, Lee said “Korea and the United States stand on the same side in many ways, but there can be differences in how to deal with North Korea.” The minister said Seoul was “well aware of the possible consequences if the U.S. tries to bring down the North Korean regime,” so it “cannot accept” attempts at regime change.

Lee urged North Korea to come back to the negotiations aimed at ending its nuclear ambitions. “Only after North Korea returns to the six-party talks can it bring up the issue of [U.S.] financial sanctions slapped on it due to its alleged dollar forgery and stop the attempts of people who have an eye on regime change in the North,” he added.

(englishnews@chosun.com )