Chosunilbo (English Edition) 13 August 2000Kim Jong-il's Dialogue with South Korean Media Heads
The South Korean delegation visiting North Korea held a luncheon meeting with North Korean leader Kim Chong-il Saturday and about 30 top North Korean government officials were present at the meeting with the 56 South Korean media heads and government officials. Following are excerpts of dialogue:
(On Unification)
Kim Jong-il: Both Koreas had problems in their attitudes towards unification, and past governments of both countries are responsible for the delayed unification as the past governments of the two Koreas have utilized the issue of unification for the purpose of maintaining their ruling system, but a drastic change in these attitudes has happened following the inter-Korea summit talks on June 15 which was achieved by President Kim Dae-jung's decision. The media in South Korea seemed particular critical of the government, as was the opposition party. As a result, government officials in the South do not seem to be powerful enough.
South Korean media (SKM): When are you planning to visit the South?
Kim: I'll be visiting in an appropriate time and I wish it would be sooner.
SKM: If you are invited to the Sydney Olympics along with President Kim Dae-jung, would you accept the invitation?
Kim: I would prefer to visit Seoul first, as I would play a role of actor in Sydney. I'll have to go to Seoul first, as I owe a lot to President Kim.
Kim: The inter-Korea ministerial talks will be formative in its first and second rounds but the talks will gain speed in the third round. I heard there are about 100 owners and presidents at media firms in the South but only about 50 of them are present here. There are less number of media heads in the North and the South Korean counterparts will have to play the role of big brother to Northern media heads as they are larger in number.
(On South Korean Media)
Kim: I began watching South Korean television programs on the third anniversary of President Park Chung-hee's death, and I began reading South Korean newspapers a long time ago, but my eyesight has gotten worse so I hardly ever read them these days. How large is the font of South Korean newspapers compared to that of Rodong Sinmun?
SKM: That is not true. The font of South Korean newspapers is about twice as large as Rodong Sinmun.
Kim: I assume that between two different races and countries the principle of reciprocity may rule, but for Korean people, the principle is not applicable. I don't think there is an employed media. Now is the time that North Korean media also will have to enjoy the sunrise over Mt. Halla. North Korean media may not be as fast as their South Korean counterparts, but in terms of correctness in the reports, the North Korean media may stand on a par. I think North Korean media is far more correct in their reports. Of the South Korean television networks, I watch KBS only. I began watching South Korean on the occasion of the third anniversary of President Park Chung-hee's death and at that time, the broadcast was in black and white.
SKM: Please comment on the idea of the two Koreas changing Kaesong and Hwajinpo.
Kim: No way. North Korea has jettisoned the Confusion tradition of respecting family ancestors, so one's birthplace is not important in the North. If possible, I will pay tribute to my ancestor's tomb when an opportunity comes.
Kim: The North Korean government has been engaged in rocket engineering in a bid to promote science development. A rocket launch costs US$200 to US$300 million. I told Russian President Putin that we will stop developing rockets when the United States comes forward and launches our satellites. I don't know what the new U.S. administration would say on this issue, as Clinton is due to step down soon. North Korea has been moving ahead with launching the satellite and it costs US$900 million for about two to three satellite launches a year. It is vastly uneconomical for my country to launch twice a year. North Korea has been selling rockets to Surinam and Iran. It is a ridiculous to claim that North Korea will be able to beat the U.S. by developing intercontinental ballistic missiles and blasting them off to the U.S. but Washington has been picking on North Korea's research for satellite technology. Certainly it will be a headache for the U.S. because the country will hate to give money freely to us on one hand, and on the other, the U.S. must stem our scientists research on satellite technology.
SKM: Washington Post had it that you have asked President Putin to deliver a personal letter to President Clinton.
Kim: It has been widely distorted. I have never asked the Russian President to deliver such a letter.
(On Revision of the Platform of North Korea's Worker's Party)
Kim: The charter of the North Korean Worker's Party is not a fossilized thing. We may change it at any time. When President Kim came over, he asked when the party convention is planned, and I told him the convention is in the fall. We have been taking steps preparing for the convention but we need to make new preparations as things between the two Koreas have changed rapidly.
SKM: Did you and President Kim discuss the revision of Worker's Party charter in connection with the same revision of South Korean security laws?
Kim: No, the revision of security laws in the South is up to South Korea. The charter of Worker's Party has been revised in the past but the platform has remained unchanged since it was taken in 1945. The platform contains several belligerent expressions as it was taken back in the 1940s when Korea was liberated. Among the top officials of the Worker's Party, there are several who have worked with President Kim Il-sung so I find its difficult to revise the platform. If the platform is changed, a lot of officials present here will have to quit their posts. Some may claim that if I initiate the revision of the platform, I am trying to purige my opponents. The security laws of South Korea is South Korean government's rule, and it has nothing to do with us.
(On Visit to Seoul)
Kim: I intend to go to Seoul to see President Kim Dae-jung and South Korean media heads present here have been calling for my visit. I will go over to return President Kim's trust in me.
(On Hyundai Group)
Kim: I gave away Kaesong to Hyundai so that the city could turn into a tour and industrial complex and this may be regarded as a small souvenir to the group as a result of the June 15 summit talks. We will have to draw South Korean tourists to Kaesong. I suggested first that Hyundai choose Kaesong instead of Haeju for the industrial complex, as I believe the two complexes would draw more people and upon my explanation, Chung Mong-hun gave me a full smile. I believe we must not treat Hyundai lightly, as Hyundai began dealing with North Korea for the first time and its founder brought 1,500 head of cattle to us. I asked Hyundai to look around and pick up the best site for the industrial complex. I think North Korea bestowed a privilege to Hyundai justifiably.
(SKM): How about the idea of the two Korea's exchanging about 200 tourists each time to tour Mt. Paektu in the North and Mt. Halla in the South?
Kim: I will choose 99 of them, and why doesn't Minister Park Jie-won pick the remaining one? Let's exchange visits before the end of this year. The symbolic meaning of this tour program in exchange will be greater than it seems. Wasn't this issue discussed at the last ministerial meeting? Secretary Kim Yong-sun, I want you to take steps to realize the tour program as early as possible.
(SKM): The whole issue of the exchange tour has been already talked during the summit talks in the middle of June.
(On Displaced Families)
Kim: Everyone wishes to be the one to go to Seoul to see their families. The number of separated families will be immense, were those hiding in the South to be added as well. There are a lot of people living in clandestine here as well, and since even I, the Defense Commission Chairman, has stated I'll be going to Seoul, now more people are making appearance saying they would like to go, too. Comrade Jon Kum-jin! Come here and offer the [South Korean media companies'] presidents some wine. The media companies should write good things in our favor. It is no use how well you do at the high-level talks.
Jon Kum-jin: Please give us you best considertions.
Kim: Don't make any special requests. The media companies should write for themselves. If you go about the issue of separated families without proper preparation, expecially when you consider that reunions have been stopped before, the possibility exists that things could end up tragic. We both have a lot [of past] to erase from the last fifty years. In 1950, the Korean War broke out and we have history to erase. We can't emphasize only humanity and love for the [Korean] nation. This year, two more reunions for the displaced families will be organized, one in September and the other in October. For next year, let's take an overall look to continue the project. I will try and let the separated families go as far as the actual homes of the families next year.
(On Donkey Meat)
Kim: (as a plate of steak is presented) This meat is that of the "sky cow." The dear Chairman [late Kim Il-sung] gave the name "sky cow" because he felt bad about calling it "donkey." Is the idea that men are superior to women still prevalent in the South?
SKM: Yes. A little bit. (laughter) Does the idea exist even in the North?
Kim: A lot. I think the fact that there is the word "sexual equality" states there is a predominance of men over women. The power of Confucianism is stronger on the peninsula than mainland China, where the idea was originated and imported from.
(On Makoli)
Kim: During the Korean War, our [North Korean] soliders went as far south as the Nakdong River and they drank a lot of Makoli [rice wine] that were available at each houses, but we had a lot of difficulty in fighting because they swayed [due to the strong alcoholic effect]. Old man Chung Ju-yung [Hyundai's honorary chairman] sent as many as 30 types of Makoli so I tried sips of them and told Chung the one I liked best, to which Chung told me that it was Pocheon Makoli and asked in surprise how I identified it. My doctor told me that I shouldn't drink too much alcohol so I quit and I now drink wine. The best wine is no doubt French wine. (Chairman Kim stands up, holds his glass, goes around the table to toast with each South Korean media company presidents one by one).
(On Connecting the Seoul-Shinuiju Rail Line)
Kim: Please start the construction ahead of us. Then we, too, will start building immediately. Make haste to agree on the day to begin the work at the ministerial level talks. I told President Kim Dae-jung and National Intelligence Service head Lim Dong-won that if the date is agreed upon, then we will take out 35,000 soldiers of two divisions within the 38th parallel division line and immediately start constructing the railroad. (As an official approaches to Chairman Kim to tell him that it was nearly time for the next meeting as it was 2pm)
Kim: Tell them to have the meeting as soon as I arrive. This business with the South is more important than another meeting.
SKM: Will you visit Seoul within this year? (Asking for the second time)
Kim: You media organization heads are trying to go home with only the top news, eh? This autumn, I am going to Russia. Putin eagerly hoped I would.... The governor of Vladivostok said that a big meeting between President Putin, China's premier and myself will be held and he asked me to make a speech so I promised I would go. But this governor requested me to tell an inflammatory story about Japan to President Putin.
President Putin asked me whether I would be able to just go to Japan in September after raising my voice about Japan in Vladivostok. To be honest, the invitation of the Russian President is more important than that of one provincial governor's. I owe President Kim Dae-jung one so I have to go to Seoul. The National Defense Commission and the Japanese Foreign Ministry are currently conducting discussions but I haven't received any report yet. If the optic cable to the South starts operation, I will be able to notify things that are to be told to the South within a split second.
(On direct flights)
SKM: When we came to Pyongyang from Seoul, we went to Beijing and then returned again [to the peninsula], but should we do this when it costs more money and time? Could you make ways so that one can travel directly?
Kim: The direct flight line issue is no problem at the government level but it is a problem for the military. As for the military problem, the direct flight line will open only if I say the word. Please send large delegations through the direct line. Both North and South are importing oil, so why should we beg and pay money to China while taking a long detour? The military is opposed to opening a direct line because they say that photos can be taken from the airplanes using special cameras. So I told them: "what are you talking about?" [The South] is already taking photographs of us using satellites, what problem would there be if they take photos from airplanes? From next time on, I will make it possible for people to travel on direct flights. As both the South and North have no energy resources, we both buy petrol so why should be go out to the West Sea, turn back [towards the peninsula] and travel between Seoul and Pyongyang?
(addressing Minister Park Jie-won) Please bring [the top Korean female] singers such as Lee Mi-ja and Kim Yeon-ja. What could I possibly say to these women out of shyness upon meeting them for the first time? Minister Park should be present with me since they would have seen you before. If South Korean singers come to Pyongyang, I will watch the test performances at the Mongnangwan Guest House and judge them, after which I will let them be appreciated by the North Korean people at a large theater.
SKM: Please invite the South Korean media companies' chief editors and editorial writers.
Kim: What need is there for an invitation when an agreement has been made between the North and South media? From now on no invitation is necessary. If they wish to come, tell them to come at any time.
(On the secret of Kim Jong-il's health)
SKM: How do you maintain you health?
Kim: I don't spend my life sitting sadly in an office. I go into the arms of the people and sing and have a good time spending [my life] with them. I also argue with party officials. I get upset when I see them. These people are stuck in their ways and don't try to change. I spend most of my time with the people in the countryside. I swim and ride horses once or twice a week. I ride as fast as 60 kilometers per hour. Since the age of eleven I've been riding 8 kilometers a day at 40 to 60 kilometers per hour. If you send me someone who races horses in the South I'll ride with him. But you know, if I ride just any horse the legs will break. For me, the Russian horse called the Ollov is best. It has thick hoofs like this (Kim demonstrates with hands). They say English horses are good but their ankles are so weak that they break when I ride them. I sleep about four hours a day. I was secretary for organization for twenty years. I used to receive report until 3am, and then issue a final report to the Great Leader, after which it would be 4am. Twenty years of doing this as secretary for organization and it became a habit.
(On the arts)
SKM: We've brought four movies, including Chun Hyang Jon and Bi Cheon Mu.
Kim: What's Bi Cheon Mu? Was it shot in China? I'll send you my impressions [of Bi Cheon Mu] by way of optic cable in a week. If I didn't become a politician I would have become a movie fan or a critic or a producer.
SKM: We'll print your review in "Cine 21" (a Southern weekly covering film).
SKM: When will unification happen?
Kim: It's all up to me. I can tell you that it will happen at an appropriate time. People in high position like me get to use expressions like this.
(On Chung Mong-hun and Hyundai)
Kim: When I meet people I meet them anywhere. I meet them on planes and I meet them on ships. When Chairman Chung Mong-hun came to Wonsan in a boat I met him on the boat. We served him Bulgogi on his boat and Chairman Mong-hun said it was good. He said that [South] Korean cow tastes good but that will probably take 40 days to pass inspection. I told him we should try it in September. I came to Pyongyang at 1am yesterday just to meet with [you] representatives of the press.
(On subscribing to Southern newspapers)
Kim: Please have your newspapers delivered to our liaison office in Panmunjom every day. There's no reason why we should have to read your papers via Japan, right? We're the same nation, wouldn't it be nice [to be able to exchange newspapers]? I hope we can even receive newspapers through our liaison office. If this doesn't work, have them sent to Panmunjom as publication usually furnished the government. We don't have the dollars to pay to read [your newspapers]. If you can't just give them to us, send us the papers that you have read already and have you handprints all over them.
(On South Korean television advertisements)
Kim: I like KBS television very much because there are no commercials. I like NHK also because it doesn't have any advertisements, it deals well with international political news, sends out dignified programming, and is conservative. China's CCTV and Russian television is hard to tell whether they're government operated or not. There has to be broadcasting that is the voice of the state. Without advertisements. I respect NHK and the BBC.
(On Beom Min Ryeon and Han Chong Ryeon)
Kim: I told them our [Korean] nation has to pull its strength together and go from there, and that they should get rid of all that complicated talk. It's enough if everyone works to pull together behind the North-South agreement, we can't have these organizations be treated like biological children and adopted children. You can't have unification this way. I told them in strong terms that we all have to go together, that we can't have those kinds of events where this kind of talk and that kind of talk are all abound, and so this time they're going to go by without [that] event.
(On Southern press reports)
Kim: The Dong-A Ilbo wrote a good story on travel [to the North]. It works if you write things as you see them. There's no need to over-compliment us or criticize us either. If you want to contribute to unification you have to participate in unification.
SKM: The news organization heads traveling here all say they saw stars in a clear sky for the first time at Samjiyeon. It's hard to see them in Seoul.
Kim: You can't see them because of the air pollution, and the air pollution is pollution from industry. It's because of economic development. You've done a lot of economic development over the last fifty years.
(View on the Truce Village of Panmunjum)
Kim: The history of the Panmunjum dates back 50 years. It is a by-product of the Korean War, when the World Powers engaged in a cutthroat competition to take the lion's share of the Korean peninsula. In this sense, it is necessary to leave the village intact. If Hyundai's project of establishing an industrial complex in the city of Kaesong goes well as planned, I think it necessary to build a new road along the as-of-yet unconnected railroad linking Seoul of the South and the Shinuiju of the North. I suggested such a plan to Mong-hun(Chairman of the Hyundai Asan) in his recent visit and he seemed to be very pleased with the idea. Problems concerning the two Koreas must be solved through our own hands based on cooperation. There lies a great significance on building a new road along the Seoul-Shinuiju line and I hope all of the South's media participate actively in making the project a great success. Now is the time to reduce the Panmunjum to a historic symbol of the Korean War. A project to link Mt. Kumgang and Mt. Solak will be launched in the year 2005.
SKM: Our animations and computer games are renowned as world-class. If the two Koreas make inroads into the Chinese market jointly, it is certain that the two will reap great amount of economic gains. Kim: If Seoul and Pyongyang co-produce a movie, both Koreas will benefit equally by dividing the profit in half. Such being the case, why should the we (the two Koreas) launch a joint project with other countries?
(On Entertainers)
Kim: I watch in-dept discussion programs of the South. For instance, whenever something big happens in inter-Korean relations, KBS invites a panel of experts to talk about the issue, whether they are for or against the recent developments. All of the so-called experts participating in the discussion seemed to express groundless opinions, not knowing the real side of North Korea. Why don't you bring them here. They must come and see that North Korea is different from what they think. We will not bite don't worry.
(On Mt. Kumgang and Hyundai)
Kim : All the temples located in the forests of Mt. Kumgang have broken down. Chung Mong-hun, the former chairman of Hyundai came and requested me to give him the right to launch a tour project to Mt. Naekumgang. So I told him, if he rebuild all the temples, I will include Mt. Naekumgang as a tourist attraction site in the current Mt. Kumgang tour project.
(On Former President Park Chung-hee)
Kim: An evaluation of former President Park Jung-hee, must be done by his decedents rather than by those who took part in helping President Park to take the helm. I think, at that time, President Park's Yushin reform was inevitable. However, I think so-called "anachronistic democratization" is undesirable.
(Diplomatic Relations between North Korea and the US and Japan)
SKM: When will it be possible for North Korea to establish a diplomatic relationship with the US? Kim: If I say so, Pyongyang can establish a diplomatic ties at any time, if the US takes North Korea off its list of terrorism-supporting nations. However, the issue of establishing a diplomatic relationship with Japan is more complicated. There are many roadblocks in the way that must be removed. Japan is demanding an unreasonable explanation from North Korea (for the alleged kidnapping of Japanese by North Korean spies), however, if Japan wants to talk about such issues of the past, we must begin from the time of the Meiji Reform. Japan must compensate us for its wrong doings during its 36-year colonial rule of the Korean peninsula. I will never establish diplomatic relations with Tokyo swallowing my pride. The smaller a nation, the stronger a nation must be to keep its pride.
(On Missile Development)
Kim: Russia was the very first nation to develop rockets. Such being the case, however, the US is arguing that North Korea is the only country developing such a weapon and is pushing to establish the NMD (National Missile Defense). This is outrageous. Russian President Vladmir Putin is of course against the project. President Putin is expected to visit Seoul in the near future, why don't you ask him then? South Korean media even dubbed me as a schizophreniac, sating the missile development project was my idea. The smaller the nation, the stronger a nation must be to keep one's pride and confront the Great Powers. Even if we combine the population of the two Koreas, it only stands at a mere 100 billion, it is a small nation. If we combine the technology and economic power of the South with the strong spirit of the North, the combined Koreas will surely become a strong nation. We must overtake Japan and must receive compensation for the colonial rule of the past. People show different reactions. Some people say "ouch" when poked by a needle, while others don't show any response. Why should I go around industrialized nations? Even if I stay here in Pyongyang, the leaders of the Great Powers come to visit me. President Putin does not agree with Washington's policy. Russia is the creator of rockets. The US, which borrowed related technology in developing missiles from Russia, has no right to pose a restriction on Russia in developing missiles.
(On Military Power)
Kim: There are two origins, from which, my strength stems out from. One is unity of the people and the other is military power. Even if everything goes well with other nations, military capability is necessary to work things even more smoothly. Power struggle with other nations heavily depends on a nation's military power and my strengh also stems from the military. A nation must be equipped with military power, even though it is an ally to another country.
(Reciprocal Visit to Seoul)
SKM: It will not be possible for you to Cheju Island during a 2-day stay in South Korea. Why don't you come for a 4-day stay?
Kim: If I go to Seoul on 4-day visit, I will face strong opposition from senior officials.
SKM: Then you could block them from coming out and shoot the red-light traffic signal on the way with a bird gun.
Kim: Then I had better prepare a good rubber slingshot.
(The South's Media Report regarding North Korea)
Kim : I read all of the South Korea's media reports concerning North Korea. Although I don't read all the economic articles, I look through all the North Korea-related articles. It would take about a week to read all the reports by the 46 press media, who are now here in Pyongyang. I don't think it is necessary to make myself good for the media. One must show oneself as it is. The separated families will reunite with their families members and will visit their hometowns. North Korea is currently asking the international community for food and there is no need to hide such a dire situation in the North. One will receive more suspicion, if one tries to hide it. We are people of one ethnicity. We are clearly different from Japan, Indonesia, and other nations. Korea fell a victim to power struggles of the Great Powers which resulted in outbreak of the Korean War. Why are we the ones who are responsible for the past wrong doings of the Great Powers? We are the major victims of the power tug-of-war among the Great Powers. Now is time to put old tactics of pursuing self-interest. Rather, it is time for the South Korean media to take the lead in a great achievement of reunification for the sake of all the Koreans. (End) Copyright (c)1995-2000, Digital Chosun All rights reserved.
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