박근혜 대통령이 6일 오전 국립서울현충원에서 열린 제58회 현충일 추념식에서 추념사를 마친 뒤 밝은 표정으로 자리로 향하고 있다. (연합뉴스)
북한이 6일 개성공단 정상화와 금강산관광 재개를 위한 남•북 당국간 회담을 전격 제의하고 정부가 이를 수용함에 따라 이달 중 남북회담이 열릴 것으로 보인다.
남북회담이 재개되면 2011년 2월 남북 군사실무회담 개최 이후 2년 4개월 만이다.
북한의 대남기구인 조국평화통일위원회는 이날 대변인 특별담화문을 발표하고 남북 당국간 회담을 열어 개성공단과 금강산 관광 정상화, 이산가족 상봉 등 인도주의 문제를 협의하자고 제의했다.
통일부는 "정부는 금일 북한의 당국간 회담 제의를 긍정적으로 받아들인다"면서 "당국간 회담이 남북간 신뢰를 쌓아나가는 기회가 되기를 바란다"고 밝혔다.
정부는 북한의 제의가 나오자 청와대를 비롯해 통일부, 외교부, 국가정보원 등 관계 부처가 참여하는 협의에 착수했다.
북한의 이번 당국간 회담 제의는 이달 7일 열리는 시진핑(習近平) 중국 국가주석과 버락 오바마 미국 대통령의 미중 정상회담을 앞두고 중국 정부의 부담을 덜어주면서 대화를 통해 남북관계를 복원시키겠다는 뜻이 담긴 것으로 해석된다.
북한은 특별담화문에서 6•15공동선언 발표 13주년 민족공동 행사와 함께 7•4 남북공동성명 발표 41주년을 맞아 남북한이 공동으로 기념행사를 하자고 제의했다.
북한이 당국간 대화 제의를 발표하면서 박정희 전 대통령이 1972년 합의한 7•4 공동성명을 거론한 것은 박근혜 대통령의 선친을 내세워 남한 정부의 호응을 끌어내려는 의도로 보인다.
특별담화문은 "남조선 당국이 우리의 제의에 호응해 나오는 즉시 판문점 적십자 연락통로를 다시 여는 문제를 비롯한 통신, 연락과 관련한 제반 조치들이 취해지게 될 것"이라고 밝혀 단절된 통신망의 재가동 의사도 시사했다.
그러나 정부 당국자는 "정부는 차분하면서도 신중한 입장으로 북한의 제안이 나왔다고 해서 들뜰 필요가 없다"며 "쉽지 않은 의제가 많은 만큼 이런 부분에 대해서 정부도 엉킨 실타래를 차근차근 풀어갈 것"이라고 밝혔다.
정치권과 대북 관련 단체는 북측의 제의에 한 목소리로 환영입장을 표시했다.
새누리당 유일호 대변인은 연합뉴스와 통화에서 "우리 정부가 그동안 제의했던 당국간 회담에 북한이 호응한 것으로 본다"며 "북한의 제의를 환영하고 긍정적으로 평가한다"고 밝혔다.
민주당 박용진 대변인도 구두논평에서 "한반도 비핵화와 평화체제 구축을 위해 남북간 대화를 촉구해온 민주당은 북한의 공식제의를 환영한다"며 "우리 정부가 북한의 제의를 수용해 긴장국면을 완화하는 전환점으로 만들어내길 바란다"고 말했다.
한재권 개성공단기업협회 회장은 "북한의 대화제의를 환영하고 우리 정부도 넓은 마음으로 받아들이기를 바란다"고 밝혔으며, 현대아산은 입장자료를 통해 "당국간 회담이 원만히 진행돼 남북관계가 개선되고 개성공단, 금강산관광이 조속히 정상 화되기를 바란다"고 말했다.
Two Koreas to hold talks to normalize ties
By Lee Joo-hee
South Korea accepted the North’s proposal Thursday for talks to discuss normalizing ties including reopening the Gaeseong industrial park and a joint tour program to Mount Geumgang.
“The government accepts North Korea’s proposal for talks between the governments. We hope the intergovernmental talks will be an opportunity to build trust between the two Koreas,” Seoul’s Unification Ministry said.
“The timing, agenda and other related issues will be announced later,” the ministry added in a statement following consultation with the presidential office and the Foreign Ministry.
Earlier in the day the North’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea made the offer, saying Pyongyang was also willing to discuss the reopening of inter-Korea communication channels and arranging a reunion of separated families.
It also proposed the two Koreas cohost an event to mark the 41st anniversary of a landmark inter-Korean cooperation agreement.
“On the occasion of the anniversary of the June 15 Joint Declaration, we propose talks between the North and South governments for the normalization of the Gaeseong industrial zone and the resumption of Mount Geumgang tours,” the North’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said.
“In the talks the two sides could discuss humanitarian issues including the reunion of separated families and relatives if necessary,” said the agency in charge of cross-border affairs.
It also suggested the two governments jointly celebrate the anniversaries of the first inter-Korean agreement reached on July 4, 1972, and the first cross-border summit on June 15, 2000.
“It will be significant and contribute to the improvement of North-South relations if the two sides jointly mark the June 15 and July 4 statements with the participation of the authorities and civilian groups.”
Inter-Korean ties are at their lowest ebb in years after the suspension of the Gaeseong industrial park, the last remaining symbol of reconciliation, in April.
Its operation was halted when Pyongyang barred South Korean access to the zone and pulled out its 53,000 workers. Seoul followed by withdrawing all its nationals.
Seoul last month proposed official talks with the North on the disposal of materials and products in the complex.
The North, however, shunned a government-level meeting and instead invited South Korean businesses and semi-official complex managers last week, saying it was ready for talks on normalizing the factory enclave.
Earlier the communist country also had offered to host a joint event to commemorate the watershed 2000 inter-Korean summit. The North’s Side Committee for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration sent a fax to its South Korean counterpart, suggesting the celebration take place in Gaeseong or Mount Geumgang.
The Seoul government refused both offers, raising suspicion about the North’s sincerity. Seoul officials said the North intended to drive a wedge between the administration and opposition and civic groups calling for an early reconciliation.
Seoul has demanded the North first guarantee South Koreans’ security and stick to any agreement on cooperative projects.
The Geumgang tour was halted in 2008 when a South Korean tourist was shot dead by a North Korean soldier in July. The North refused to apologize and a series of provocations ensued, including deadly attacks on the Cheonan naval craft and a border island in 2010.
The two Koreas had held joint annual celebrations of the 2000 inter-Korean summit between the late leaders Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jong-il at Mount Geumgang until 2008.
The landmark agreement called for efforts for independent unification and opened the way for the joint tour program, the reunions of families separated by the Korean War, the establishment of the Gaeseong complex, a number of other economic, cultural and social cooperative projects, and government-level dialogue.
The North’s latest proposal came as Seoul, Washington and Beijing are moving to step up their cooperation against Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions on the occasion of their bilateral summit talks this week and later this month.
Observers said the North’s offer showed an improvement to the chilled inter-Korean relations but that Seoul should approach with caution.
“By proposing such formal talks as demanded by the South, it would have the effect of toning down the level of sanctions or denouncement against the North during the U.S.-China summit talks this week as well as in the South Korea-China summit meeting later this month,” said North Korean studies professor Yoo Ho-yeol of Korea University.
“While holding dialogue is always preferable, talking without substantive progress in denuclearization would be meaningless. Seoul should thus approach with prudence so as not to allow Pyongyang to take the lead.”
Earlier this week South Korea and China had agreed to enhance bilateral defense cooperation to help secure denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula. China has recently joined international efforts to rein in the North amid its escalating nuclear and missile threats.
The U.S. and China have also agreed it is essential for the North to denuclearize and said they were working together in pressing Pyongyang to abide by its international obligations.
The North’s proposal came just a few hours after President Park delivered a message to mark the 58th National Memorial Day, in which she urged Pyongyang to embrace the trust-building process for change.
“Embracing the trust-building process for the Korean Peninsula is the direction of change that North Korea should choose,” Park said during a speech at a Memorial Day ceremony at Seoul National Cemetery.
Speaking before some 12,000 attendants including war veterans, ministers and political leaders, Park said peace and unification of Korea are longed for by some 70 million Koreans.
“The road toward change that North Korea must now choose is to keenly accept the trust-building process for the Korean Peninsula and become a responsible member of international society to make joint efforts.”
North Korea has upped its saber-rattling in protest to international sanctions against its missile and nuclear test as well as joint military drills by Seoul and Washington.
The deteriorated tension persisted throughout Park’s first three months in office, during which Park has remained steadfast to the principle of intolerance against provocation but leaving the door open for dialogue.
(
jhl@heraldcorp.com)