Is this an opportunity or a problem?

Question

Seoul vows more economic cooperation with N. Korea

June 08, 2007

South Korea's point man on North Korea vowed Friday (June 8) to increase his country's economic cooperation with the impoverished North, despite Pyongyang's refusal to implement a February denuclearization agreement because of a banking dispute with the United States.

The remarks by Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung in a speech at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club come amid reports Washington has been displeased with the pace of Seoul's engagement with Pyongyang on economic cooperation and other inter-Korean rapprochement measures despite the stalled North Korean nuclear talks.

Etc.,...

http://www.korea.net/News/News/NewsView.asp?serial_no=20070608024&part=102

Answer 1

Both, actually.
It is good to have more interaction between North and South Korea, because it gives the South a chance to influence the North. However, there is always the risk of supporting the North in the wrong way or at the wrong time. It is difficult to maintain the right balance.

Answer 2

You have to understand how isolated North Korea is. One way to have them open up is to through economics. If they can open up economic door little more other diplomatic tasks become little more realistic.

Bush basically treat North Korea like it is another al Qaeda. And that's partially right since North Korea did commit terrorisms in the past(non recently), but you can't shut them out and hope to have diplomacy at same time.

South Korea is doing what is best for South Korea. Not for the US's War on Terror. And that is the right approach for South Korea.

Bush is strictly about 'no negotiation' with terrorist regime. I understand that too kind of, but North Korea have gotten whole lot more aggressive since Bush implemented his more aggressive North Korean policy.

It's problem for Bush. He probably see it as 'black mail' by North. But it's only way for South Korea to make attempt to ease tensions and build better relation with North. How are they gona get any diplomatic relation with North Korea if they treat North like they're evil?

Answer 3

both