The Hankyoreh has been concerned about the discord between North Korea and Hyundai regarding the ouster of Hyundai Asan's Kim Yoon Kyu, but has still hoped to see both sides be sensible about resolving their issues. The situation is getting worse, however, and is now at the point where the whole question of whether Hyundai's projects with the North continue or not is up in the air. It is largely the North's fault that things have gotten so entangled, since it is unaccustomed to the language of capital as spoken in the market capitalist system and because it has not tried to understand, either. No less a considerable problem is Hyundai's crude approach, however, since it is not taking into consideration the unique character of business projects in North Korea.
One interpretation of the Asia-Pacific Peace Committee's statement is that despite its super hard-line tone, it nevertheless expresses the desire to find a solution soon. Some accuse the North of brining up the trust it has in Kim Yoon Kyu in order to profit from the situation. Whatever the North's true intentions are there must be no interruption or regression in intra-Korean exchange and economic cooperation such as the Mount Geumgang tourism project. Problems such as this must not be allowed to upset things just when relations are going to overcome the difficulties of the North Korean nuclear issue and advance to a new level. The close ties the North has had with the Hyundai family in Chung Joo Young and then Chung Mong Hun must not be ruined like this.
We hope to see the North's Asia-Pacific Peace Committee and Hyundai be frank with each other and find a wise solution. The key will be restoring the broken confidence. The South Korean government, in turn, needs to get actively involved in mediation so as to make sure the situation does not get worse and that there can be a new beginning.
The Hankyoreh, 22 October 2005.
[Translations by Seoul Selection]
