S. Korea says N. Korea negating summit deals

SEOUL, June 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea accused North Korea on Sunday of negating
the June 15 inter-Korean summit agreement, as the two Koreas marked the ninth
anniversary of the historic event amid chilled ties.

The South also urged the communist neighbor to halt its brinkmanship diplomacy
and reengage in dialogue.
"North Korea is not abiding by the agreement in the June 15 Joint Declaration,"
the unification ministry said in a statement, adding the North's leader has yet
to keep his promise to make a reciprocal trip to South Korea.
"North Korea has also rejected dialogue with South Korea and suspended the
reunion of separated families and scaled down inter-Korean exchanges and
cooperation," the ministry said.
In 2000, then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung held a summit with North Korean
leader Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang. They produced a joint declaration that paved the
way for the two Koreas to ease military tensions and begin economic cooperation.
The Kaesong joint industrial complex, located just north of the inter-Korean
border, was one of the summit's most fruitful results, although its future is now
uncertain amid fraying relations. North Korea has demanded higher wages for some
40,000 workers at the complex and demanded drastic hikes in land fees.
Kim's successor, the late Roh Moo-hyun, also held a summit with the North Korean
leader in Pyongyang in 2007, in which they agreed to boost joint economic
projects.
The ministry's statement was a counterpunch to the North's claim that
inter-Korean relations have been strained due to South Korean President Lee
Myung-bak's "hostile policy" towards Pyongyang.
The conservative president has said he wants to implement the summit deals on a
selective basis in accordance with progress in denuclearizing the North.
North Korea and progressive activists in the South argue Lee is ignoring the
accomplishments by his liberal predecessors for political reasons.
Also Sunday, a group of progressive civic activists here organized a ceremony to
mark the inter-Korean summit deal on June 15 in 2000.
More than 1,500 people attended, including leaders of major opposition parties.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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