South Korea needs to practice patience and consistency toward North Korea amid ongoing external uncertainties linked to the Middle East conflict, National Assembly Speaker Rep. Woo Won-shik said Wednesday.
At a forum hosted Wednesday by an advisory council on peace and diplomacy, Woo said South Korea's pursuit of dialogue for peace and efforts to ease tensions "must be continued with patience and consistency," at a time of heightened complexity in the international security landscape.
Woo also said the time for a breakthrough in inter-Korean ties was ripe, as upheavals in the international order complicated the security environment of the Korean Peninsula.
Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, also speaking at at the forum, reiterated the Lee Jae Myung administration's stance that South Korea will remain steadfast in ending inter-Korean hostility and confrontation, and pursuing a phased approach to denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.
"As the president said earlier, spring will eventually come even if the winter is long. With the resolve of making a mountain by stacking up the dirt, we will build up our efforts for peaceful coexistence and shared growth," Cho said in his speech delivered via Second Vice Minister Kim Jin-a.
In a separate event held that day to conclude the 21-month operation of the advisory council, Woo highlighted the rare visit by North Korea's professional women's soccer team, describing Naegohyang Women's FC's trip to the south as something South Korea needs to "observe calmly yet wisely."
"We must not miss even the slightest chance, and make the most of it," Woo said, considering they are the first sports athletes to visit South Korea in eight years, especially after North Korea came up with the two hostile states narrative.
"As we are the ones who must create a chance to resume dialogue, I believe this is a situation we need to observe calmly yet wisely."
Recalling his brief encounter with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and a handshake during a trip to Beijing in September to attend China's Victory Day event, Woo claimed North Korea "has not completely given up" on its chance of improving ties with South Korea despite its show of hostility. Woo and Kim's brief meeting was the first in seven years.
"Our perception is that neither inter-Korean relations nor the situation on the Korean Peninsula is ever static," Woo said.
Woo's remarks came in response to the advisory council's report released Wednesday.
The 17-member advisory council jointly proposed upholding the principle of peaceful coexistence of the two Koreas while pursuing unification. It also advised that Seoul pursue strategic autonomy in uncertain times and ditch denuclearization through peace to adopt peace through denuclearization.
The council also proposed legislation to enshrine South Korea's principle of peaceful reunification in the Constitution.
Woo's term as the National Assembly Speaker ends in late May.
consnow@heraldcorp.com
