North Korea must correctly assess present situation, work with South Korea

North Korea must correctly read its present predicament and work with South Korea to improve cross-border relations, Seoul's unification minister said Tuesday. Speaking to lawmakers at a parliamentary audit session, Ryoo Kihl-jae said Pyongyang needs to realize what it can do to pull off meaningful growth, what actions are best for the future of the Korean people, and make the right decisions. He pointed out that while the communist country has said it wants denuclearization, it has not given up its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs. The policymaker then criticized the country for unilaterally postponing the family reunions event for people separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, and its verbal attacks against the South. Commenting on the impasse in inter-Korean relations following the agreement to reopen a joint factory park in Kaesong, Ryoo said Seoul is taking a proactive, yet long-term approach to dealing with the North. "The government will not be swayed by every up and down in relations," the minister emphasized. He said the channel for dialogue remains open and the two sides need to build trust through dialogue and cooperation. The official said that Seoul will continue to work with the international community to end the North's nuclear ambitions. He said building a peace park within the demilitarized zone also requires international and South-North cooperation. The ministry in charge of managing ties with the North, meanwhile, told lawmakers that Pyongyang is seeking change, although such attempts have not been successful. It said the North has made moves to mend fences with China, and arranged for meetings with former U.S. officials in August and September. "Such moves gained little momentum because Washington has been adamant in calling on the North to first make known its willingness to give up all of its WMD programs," the ministry said. On the Sept. 16 reopening of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, which had been shut down for more than five months, the ministry said the establishment of new rules for the running of the special business zone is being held up, mainly due to a lack of cooperation from the North. An investors relation event for foreign companies interested in setting up operation in the North Korean border town was called off Monday, mainly because no headway was made to create new rules for communication, travel and customs inspections. At present only 123 South Korean companies have factories in Kaesong. The ministry said that despite calls from some circles in society, sanctions imposed after the sinking of a South Korean warship in the Yellow Sea in 2010 will remain in place.