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Alias
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
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 Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2005 5:42 am Post subject: North Korea woos South against US |
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SEOUL -- South Korean delegates heading to Pyongyang will be greeted by a festive atmosphere, in an apparent bid by North Korea to trigger a sense of Korean nationalism to cope with U.S. pressure over the nuclear standoff.
Some 340 South Korean officials and civic leaders participated in events organized by the cash-strapped North to mark the fifth anniversary of the first-ever inter-Korean summit. When a convoy of buses carrying the South Koreans passed through Pyongyang, tens of thousands of North Koreans clad in traditional Korean dresses waved pink plastic azaleas carrying pink floral arrangements.
Some buildings in central Pyongyang were draped with banners reading: "Welcome representatives from the South," according to pool reports from the North.
North Korea organized a grand opening ceremony at Kim Il-Sung Stadium packed with a crowd of more than 100,000 who braved the rain and wind. The stadium was surrounded by "unification flags" that outlined a depiction of the whole Korean peninsula, which symbolizes territorial reunification.
North Korea also arranged various celebratory programs, including music concerts, art performances and photo exhibitions. It upgraded the level of the state guesthouse where South Korean officials were staying.
On Thursday, North Korea's No. 2 leader, Kim Yong Nam, chairman of the Presidium of the legislative Supreme People's Assembly, invited South Korean delegates to the Mansudae Assembly Hall for a banquet. Kim, who serves as the North's ceremonial head, also met South Korea's chief delegate, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young.
Chung is leading a 40-member government delegation. South Korea also sent a 299-member civic delegation to the four-day event. It was unclear whether the North's leader, Kim Jong Il, would meet Chung, South Korea's chief security policymaker as the chairman of the presidential National Security Council.
It is the first time government officials from the two Koreas have joined the annual events to mark the June 15, 2000, summit between Kim Jong Il and then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung.
Chung officially invited the North Korean government and civilian representatives to Seoul on Aug. 15 to jointly celebrate the anniversary of liberation from Japanese colonial rule between 1910 and 1945.
In an apparent bid to revive anti-U.S. sentiment, North Korea brought South Korean visitors to a Pyongyang middle school that has as honorary students two South Korean girls killed in a road accident near Seoul by a U.S. military vehicle in 2002.
The deaths sparked a strong wave of anti-American protests across South Korea, home to 37,000 U.S. troops who are there to deter possible aggression from the North.
In a commentary on the summit's anniversary, the North's state-run Central Broadcasting Station called on South Korea to join hands with the North to cope with threats from the United States, which it said was plotting to put the entire Korean peninsula under its control.
"Anti-Americanism in itself is self-reliance, peace and unification of the fatherland," the commentary said. "The situation on the Korean peninsula today requires all of us to unite and step up anti-U.S., anti-war struggles."
Meeting South Korean visitors Thursday, Kim Yong Nam accused the United States of trying to stifle his communist regime and preparing for a war on the Korean peninsula.
"The United States exerts pressure on us in various fields -- political, economic and military -- and slandered us as an 'outpost of tyranny,' but we didn't flinch," he said.
Washington has repeatedly said it does not harbor hostile intent toward the North.
In a speech, Kim Ki Nam, a secretary of the ruling Workers' Party in charge of inter-Korean relations, said the two Koreas should cooperate to thwart "a challenge from the forces" who oppose unification, referring to the United States.
"Interference and challenges of forces, which do not like North and South Korea becoming stronger one, lie ahead of our future road toward unification," Kim said in a speech. "Most of all, we have to realize collaboration between responsible authorities."
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Stirring up anti-American sentiment here is kind of like shooting fish out or a barrel. Not very difficult. |
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Gwangjuboy
Joined: 08 Jul 2003
Location: England
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| Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 1:16 am Post subject: |
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| South Koreans have a very short memory. People would be forgiven for thinking that the US was responsible for the division of the country. |
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The Great Wall of Whiner
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
Location: Middle Land
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| Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 5:18 am Post subject: |
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I wouldn't complain about Koreans and their racism and ignorance of history too much.
Here in China, they firmly believe (and teach in school) that it was the United States that invaded North Korea and China helped to repel the foreign invaders from America. |
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mithridates
Joined: 03 Mar 2003
Location: President's office, Korean Space Agency
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| Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 5:59 am Post subject: |
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Yeah, I got to go to that museum in Dandong before and see all about their views on the war, the "Helping North Korea against the US War" as they put it. ��ڸ������, that's the one.
As for bribing the South in this way, that's exactly what I'd do if I were North Korea. Clever move, making those two kids honour students at the school. |
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Alias
Joined: 24 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2005 6:11 am Post subject: |
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| Gwangjuboy wrote: |
| South Koreans have a very short memory. People would be forgiven for thinking that the US was responsible for the division of the country. |
Well technically they are right. If it weren't for the US (and other participating countries) Korea would be united today. The South would be part of the working class paradise!  |
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