S. Korea’s top security advisor calls for contact with DPRK

SEOUL. — South Korea’s top presidential security advisor yesterday called for the need to restore contact channels with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Chung Eui-yong, who was appointed on Sunday by recently elected President Moon Jae-in to lead the National Security Office of the presidential Blue House, paid a courtesy call to chiefs of main opposition parties to ask for parliamentary cooperation in security issues.

After meeting with Roh Hoechan, floor leader of the minor progressive Justice Party, Chung told reporters that the communication channels and the hotline in the truce village of Panmunjom between South Korea and the DPRK should be resumed rapidly, though any official dialogue with the DPRK cannot be resumed at the current stage.

Chung said attempts should be made for a working-level dialogue with the DPRK in a gradual manner, noting that inter-Korean exchanges, including personnel, cultural, social and sports exchanges, can be made within the limits of undamaging the sanctions on the DPRK.

However, he said the South Korean government would try to take a cautious approach, stressing the importance of international cooperation with neighbouring countries and not to make them misunderstand.

Meanwhile, the DPRK said yesterday it had successfully tested an intermediate-range ballistic missile which met all technical requirements and could now be mass-produced, indicating advances in its ambitions to be able to hit the United States.

The DPRK fired the missile into waters off its east coast on Sunday, its second missile test in a week, which South Korea said dashed the hopes of the South’s new liberal government under President Moon for peace between the neighbours.