South Korean press speaks out against its government

Referring to Roh Moo-hyun’s South Korean administration and “its reckless protection of the North”, one South Korean daily Dong-a Ilbo concludes, “There has been no government that has ever dealt with the North as unskillfully and foolishly as this one.”

Another editorial in the Joongang Ilbo adds, “Mr. Roh remained silent after North Korea’s missile launches except for a warning against Japan’s muttering about pre-emptive strikes against North Korea. … It is really sad to see the administration closing its eyes to international society as it indulges in the naive thought that North and South are the same nation and rushes to embrace Pyongyang.

And then in article in Chosun Ilbo, entitled “Paying North Korea to Laugh at Us”, another journalist writes:
North Korean Senior Cabinet Counselor Kwon Ho-ung told a stunned South Korean delegation at ministerial talks in Busan that his country’s military-first policy “helps the security of South Korea too, and a vast majority of South Korean citizens have benefited from it.” North Korea’s missile launches and nuclear weapons program are apparently a boon to us?

“The economic cooperation funds that [South Korea] provided to [North Korea] since the 2000 inter-Korean summit amounts to 1.3 times North Korea’s entire budget. There is a high chance that some of the money went into development of the North’s nuclear weapons and missiles, but the government has maintained there is nothing it can do about it.”