Roh to Make Overture on NK Nuke Issue
2003-08-12
President Roh Moo-hyun is expected to stress South and North Korea should take a leading role in resolving the lingering standoff over the North's nuclear weapons program in his speech to mark Liberation Day Friday, according to Cheong Wa Dae officials on Monday (Aug. 11).
“President Roh will deal with various pending issues, ranging from security concerns to economic and social problems, and the speech will be focused on the North Korean nuclear issue,” an official said.
He hinted that Roh will present Seoul's position on the six-way nuclear talks to be held later this month in Beijing.
“Roh's proposal concerning the issue will be about ways to ensure peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia by peacefully settling the North Korean nuclear standoff,” the official said.
Presidential spokesman Yoon Tai-young said Roh has been “directly touching on the nuclear issue,” indicating that it will be addressed as the priority concern.
Roh, who recently returned from a brief summer break, is facing a number of knotty issues. The brewing controversy involving a key presidential aide who was found to have received luxury treatment from a businessman has been haunting Roh and the presidential office.
During the address, the president is also expected to present a specific method to help resolve the simmering conflict between the labor and management sectors. Roh has vowed to take steps to create an advanced labor-management culture.
Roh's support rating has nose-dived recently, with a poll by a leading broadcasting company showing only about 40 percent of the public positively assess the administration's performance.
Yoon said another key point in Roh's speech will be efforts to promote an era of Northeast Asia.
A variety of policies and visions will be unveiled under the theme with focus on ways to realize $20,000 per capita gross domestic product.
“It would be inappropriate for us to come with vague expressions regarding state affairs through the speech. So Roh is expected to reveal policy details on specific issues rather than covering a wide range of issues via the speech,” the official said.
Source : www.korea.net
