*** TOPIC OF THE WEEK (Part 2)

President Lee Says S. Korea Wants Another Inter-Korean Industrial Park

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said on Sept. 10 his government hopes to build another inter-Korean industrial complex, but its feasibility would depend entirely on North Korea's attitude.

   "Currently, the Kaesong Industrial Complex is perhaps the last channel for cooperation between South and North Korea," Lee told Russia 24-TV, according to a transcript released by his office, Cheong Wa Dae. "Thus, the South Korean government wants to maintain and develop it, and I think so does North Korea."

   He said the two Koreas can open another such joint industrial town should the North take various measures to develop the Kaesong facilities.

   "But it is entirely up to North Korea," he said. "I think North Korea should apologize for the Cheonan incident and inter-Korean relations should be normalized," Lee said.

   Inter-Korean relations have come to a virtual standstill after the sinking of the Cheonan, a South Korean warship, near the two Korea's western sea border in March. A Seoul-led multinational investigation team concluded two months later that the North downed the 1,200-ton patrol ship in a torpedo attack.

   Seoul has since cut off all joint economic projects with the North, except for the industrial complex jointly run with Pyongyang in the North Korean border town of Kaesong.

   The Kaesong park opened in 2004 following a historic first-ever cross-border summit four years before and stands as a symbol of inter-Korean reconciliation efforts. North Korea has sporadically threatened to close it down when ties with Seoul turned cool, but so far the North has not jeopardized the venture that critics say funnels hard cash to the socialist regime accused of trying to build nuclear weapons.

   Around 44,000 North Korean workers are employed by more than 100 South Korean firms operating there.

   Lee's remarks came as Seoul is considering a shipment of rice and other emergency aid to the North, which is struggling to recover from recent floods in its northwestern region bordering China.

   Some observers see the move, although based on humanitarian consideration, as a sign of new flexibility by the conservative Lee administration in dealing with the North for an eventual thaw in inter-Korean ties. Lee's remarks on prospects of another joint industrial complex, they say, are also an overture to the North.

   Lee said inter-Korean relations may get back on track earlier than expected. "I don't know when (inter-Korean ties will be normalized). (The normalization of the relations) may or may not come quickly," he said in the interview. "We want the South-North relations to move toward normalization, and in that sense, the international community is showing keen attention and closely cooperating."

   In an interview with a Russian state broadcaster, President Lee also said it is premature to define Kim Jong-un, the third son of current North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, as his counterpart.

   Unusual for the South Korean president, Lee, when asked about the apparent transfer of power under way in Pyongyang, talked about the North's purported next leader, Kim Jong-un.

   Lee made clear that he would not define the junior Kim as his counterpart even if he is formally designated as the heir to the socialist regime. "(Jong-un) does not become my counterpart (automatically) although he is appointed as the next leader," Lee said.

   It is the first time that the South Korean president has publicly commented on Jong-un, shrouded in heavy secrecy and known only to be a young man in his 20s who studied abroad.

   The North's powerful Workers' Party is preparing to convene sometime this month a meeting of its delegates from across the country, during which analysts expect the younger Kim to be given a key post as a sign that he is being groomed to become the North's next leader.

   They do not rule out the possibility that Jong-un will be officially nominated as the heir to his 68-year-old father, who is said to be growing frail after suffering a stroke in 2008.

   "(The leadership) will be eventually inherited by the third generation from Kim Il-sung and Chairman Kim Jong-il," Lee said, referring to the father of the incumbent leader and the late founding leader of the North.

   Lee refused to go into details, however, saying it is an internal affair of North Korea, and he has no concrete information.

   Responding to a hypothetical question that he may meet Jong-un someday, Lee said, "If I meet Chairman Kim Jong-il and (Jong-un) sits in, I will be able to meet him naturally, but I would not attach a special meaning to that as he is not my counterpart."

   With regard to his earlier proposal for a "unification tax" to foot the huge financial costs anticipated when the capitalist South reunites with the impoverished North, Lee said his country needs to prepare during normal times for "peaceful reunification."

   He stressed that South Korea is not seeking reunification from a sudden collapse of North Korea, a charge Pyongyang often levels at Seoul.

   "After establishing peaceful relations with North Korea first, we plan to seek peaceful reunification in the next stage," Lee said.

  (END)