Finance Minister Kwon O-kyu on Wednesday admitted he was embarrassed watching North Korea¡¯s mass gymnastic propaganda performance ¡°Arirang,¡± which features a cast of thousands performing in strict unison. Speaking at a forum at the Korea Press Foundation, Kwon said he ¡°felt uncomfortable twice¡± during his visit to North Korea as a member of President Roh Moo-hyun¡¯s entourage to the recent inter-Korean summit. One was when the North brought up the issue of national self-reliance, and the other when he was watching the ¡°Arirang¡± show.
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A scene from the Arirang mass performance that President Roh Moo-hyun viewed at May Day Stadium in Neungrado, North Korea, on Oct. 3, during the inter-Korean summit.
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Kwon said he was embarrassed when only Roh and Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung gave a standing ovation to a performance by young children during the mass gymnastic program while no one else clapped. It seems he was concerned that their standing ovation could cause controversy in South Korea while North Korea could be offended that no one else applauded.
Kwon said President Roh engaged in ¡°heated debate¡± about independence with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il during the summit. In a ¡°tension-filled room,¡± he said, Roh ¡°presented logical arguments and North Korea accepted some of them.¡± Kwon quoted the president as telling Kim that South Korea is ¡°partly dependent on the U.S.¡± as it has long received aid and help but ¡°started to move toward independence¡± in relation with the U.S. as its economic power grew. Roh pointed out that no countries were willing to receive North Korea¡¯s funds frozen at Macau¡¯s Banco Delta Asia when the North recently sought the transaction, not even China. ¡°Independence doesn¡¯t mean isolation. It means the power to win international cooperation,¡± Roh said according to the minister.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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