Kim Jong-in: "United Party is not 'Anti-North'... Asking North Korea to Become a 'Normal Country'"

Kim Jong-in, Emergency Committee Chairman of the United Future Party, is delivering opening remarks at the Kwanhun Club invitation debate held at the Press Center in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 14th. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Kim Jong-in, Emergency Committee Chairman of the United Future Party, on the 14th refuted the criticism that the party's security stance is fixated on anti-North Korea sentiment, saying, "It is not blind anti-North Korea sentiment, but a hope that North Korea behaves as a normal country."

At a discussion hosted by the Gwahun Club that day, Chairman Kim said, "We hope that future inter-Korean relations will become those of normal countries, and we must implement North Korea policies so that North Korea can comply with international laws that must be observed."

He explained, "Since simultaneous admission to the United Nations, they have become countries of the same (status) under international law," adding, "Since simultaneous admission to the UN, it has become difficult to even mention unification, and the regime guarantees demanded by North Korea are in that context."

He continued, "The government avoids using the word 'unification' because Kim Jong-un (North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman) does not want to hear it," adding, "The constitution includes the word unification and states that 'the Republic of Korea is the territory of the Korean Peninsula and its islands,' which is contradictory. We must start from the fact that, under international law, we are individual countries in inter-Korean relations."

When asked if the United Future Party is willing to change its North Korea policy, he said, "If the North Korean government, as an individual independent country, abides by international rules, refrains from unnecessary remarks toward South Korea, and continues to exist as a normal country, the United Future Party is not opposed to cooperation with North Korea within the characteristics of the Korean people," adding, "(The anti-North sentiment exists) because North Korea has nuclear weapons and makes threatening remarks toward South Korea, but it is not opposition to the existence of the North Korean regime itself."