Chung calls for dialogue with N. Korea
Gov’t urged to get ratification before THAAD deployment
SINGAPORE — South Korea’s National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun has called for reopening dialogue with North Korea to stop its provocations.
Chung said it is important to acknowledge North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as a negotiation partner.
“Given his experience and other aspects, it is difficult to consider him a dialogue partner. But we don’t get to pick our partners,” he said during a recent interview here.
He was visiting Singapore to meet Prime Minister Lee Hsien-loong over expansion of bilateral cooperation on economic and security issues.
“North Korea must be criticized and sanctioned for its nuclear and missile tests,” he said. “However, to change them, we should first bring them back to the negotiation table and make more efforts to listen to them.”
Chung’s comments came amid escalating tensions on the peninsula as the U.S. and South Korea seek harsher sanctions against North Korea following the reclu- sive country’s series of missile and nuclear tests.
He said sanctions alone can neither solve the nuclear issue nor make the situation any better.
“Tensions are mounting on the Korean Peninsula as the conflict between two great powers is deepening in Northeast Asia (over the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system). Korea will be hit hardest if this situation continues,” he said.
“We have to work harder to persuade our neighbors and adopt a more creative approach by combining sanctions with dialogue or engagement policies.”
The six-term lawmaker urged the Korean government to get a parliamentary ratification for the deployment of a U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery on Korean soil.
“The government should put their heads together with the National Assembly to come up with the best conclusion. I’m not blindly against the deployment. I am willing to accept it if the decision is made after sufficient discussion,” he said.
“The issue is subject to parliamentary ratification because it involves providing land to the U.S. Forces Korea,” he added. “There is no reason to make a hasty decision. Handing it over to the next administration can also be an option.”
Regarding the constitutional revision, the 66-year-old chief said the focus should be placed on reducing the powers of the president.
“Power decentralization should be the core of the constitutional revision. The revision should ensure the enhancement of power sharing among the three branches of government,” he said.
“As long as it ensures power decentralization, the form does not matter. It could be either a parliamentary cabinet system or semi-presidential system.”
There have been growing calls for the revision following the impeachment of President Park Geun-hye. Many believe the concentration of power in the president was the key culprit behind the political scandal that ended with Park’s impeachment.
Currently, all parties have agreed on the need for revision but they have yet to agree on its timing.
Chung, who is a former member of the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), ruled out the possibility of holding a referendum in tandem with the presidential election slated for May 9.
“Together with the power structure reform, we should also fully discuss economic democratization, strengthening basic rights and an election system overhaul,” he said.
“Considering this, it is impossible to hold a referendum together with the upcoming presidential election. I think it should be done at next year’s provincial elections in June at the latest. But once agreed, we can hold it anytime before even if it incurs costs.”
He said a new president should be a person with both a vision and strategy.
“Korea is facing a variety of cliffs, such as North Korea’s nuclear brinkmanship, a low birthrate, aging population and deepening polarization,” he said. “Working hard is not enough. We need a leader to help us overcome these cliffs.”
Asked whether former President Park should be arrested, he said the prosecution should investigate Park according to the law and principles.
“Korea is a law-governed country. No matter what results the investigation will bring about, she should accept it,” he said. “That is the only way we can prevent this kind of unhappy incident from occurring again.”