이인영 통일장관 후보자 첫 출근..."남북•북미대화 지속해야"
Dialogue on the Korean Peninsula should not be suspended that's what South Korea's nominee for Unification Minister says.
He also called for a creative approach in achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula, adding he'll see what Seoul can do independently regardless of its working group with the U.S.
Hong Yoo files us this report from Seoul's Unification Ministry.
South Korea's Unification Minister nominee says talks between the two Koreas and the U.S. must continue...no matter what.
In his first interview since being nominated, Lee In-young emphasized the importance of dialogue with the North.
"North Korea sometimes initiates talks with the South and the U.S. at the same time or with one before the other. For us, it's important to continue the momentum of dialogue whether it be inter-Korean talks or talks between the North and the U.S."
Lee added that measures which could cause military tension between the two Koreas is not right... a stance maintained since his days as a former Democratic Party floor leader.
In regards to the South Korea-U.S. working group whose role is being questioned by Pyeongyang, Lee said that there is a need to distinguish which tasks Seoul could handle through the group, and what can be done by itself.
Its original purpose was to serve as an arena to discuss the denuclearization of North Korea as well as other issues regarding the two Koreas and the U.S.
However, the group has largely been focusing on checking whether Seoul's initiative for inter-Korean cooperation violates economic sanctions imposed on the regime.
As a four-term lawmaker from the ruling party, Lee said his forte is creativity.
The Unification Minister nominee said he hoped to use that creativity to build a bridge toward resuming inter-Korean talks and humanitarian cooperation so the dream of unification can be realized.
Hong Yoo, Arirang News.
