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There was growing speculation on Wednesday about North Korea¡¯s abrupt cancellation of a cross-border train test run. Pyongyang reportedly cited the two Koreas¡¯ failure to agree on the prevention of clashes in the West Sea as a justification, but many say that there were ulterior motives. The two Koreas had after all agreed on detailed minute-by-minute plans for the test run on May 12 -- thus Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok was to take the Gyeongui Line and Construction and Transportation Minister Choo Byung-jik the Donghae Line -- so it seemed unlikely it would be called off. The North¡¯s own preparations for the test run were reported to be progressing steadily. It cleaned up the surroundings of the Gyeongui Line and put rolling stock on the Donghae Line, Unification Ministry officials said.
Yet the North abruptly cancelled the plan. It is highly likely that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il had a direct hand both in approving the test run and canceling it. Kim is said to insist on the final say in all major inter-Korean issues. ¡°By calling off the plan, the North intends to show that its military is determined to protect the system,¡± says Prof. Ko Yu-hwan of Dongguk University ? a suggestion that the North Korean military urged Kim to change his mind. Others feel the cancellation is part of Pyongyang¡¯s strategy to get more from Seoul with just a week or so to go before local elections. Some believe the North delayed the historic inter-Korean summit in June 2000 for one day because the money the Kim Dae-jung administration promised had not gone into its bank account.
That is why there are fears that the cancellation, which is likely to strain inter-Korean relations, could affect the planned visit to Pyongyang by the former president in June. Vice Unification Minister Shin Un-sang said Seoul will now review its plan to offer equipment to Pyongyang ¡°from a variety of perspectives to determine whether to take steps,¡± but the government has decided to wait out a working-level meeting scheduled for May 29 that is to prepare for Kim Dae-jung¡¯s visit. The cancellation of the test run, in any case, now puts Kim¡¯s plan to go North by train almost definitely beyond the pale.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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