정부는, 탈북민들이 북한주민에 외부세상의 상황을 긍정적으로 알려주려는 활동을 함으로서, 접경지역에 거주하는 한국민들과 탈북민들 자신의 생명에도 많은 위험을 안겨주고 있다. 접경지역에 거주하는 한국민들은 탈북민들의 그러한 행동때문에 항상 위험속에서 생활하고 있어온 것이다.
그러면 남한당국이 조그만 제스처같은 조치라도 하는것을 보여줌으로써, 남북한간에 깨진 관계를 복원하기위한 길고도 먼 출발점이 시작됐다는 신호로 보일수도 있다 하겠다. 현재로서는 한국의 통일부 당국이 탈북민들의 대형풍선띄우는것을 폐쇄조치한 결과에 대해 어떤 효과가 나올지에 대한 평가를 하는것은 시기상조지만, 북한의 남한에 대한 비난과 이에 필요한 응답을 한것으로 간주될수 있다고 판단된다.
한국은 북한과 깨져버린 관계를 복원시키기위해 그어떤 대가를 지불한다해도 모든 국민들을 기쁘게 할수 없다는 점이다. 이번결정은 남한정부가 평양과 확고한 관계와 한반도에서 긴장상태가 아닌, 평화를 증진시키기위한 약속을 향해 행동을 취했다는것을 확실히 보여주는 결정이었다. 끝.
여기서 나는 이글을 기고한 필자 Gabriela에게 그동안 남북관계에서 어떤일이 있었는가를 대충 몇가지 적어, 보여주고져 한다. 자유민주주의를 지향하는 남한에서, 미국에서 이만큼 해줬으면, '상호호혜원칙'에 따라 북한은 약속을 지키고 신의를 지켰어야했다.
이글을 읽으면서, 그동안 남한정부에서 북한정부에 물질적 정신적으로 성의를 갖고 그들의 요구데로 다들어준것을 다 나열할수 없을 정도로 퍼주고, 달래 보았지만, 북의 김정은 정부는, 미북정상회담에서, 남북한간 정상회담에서 합의한 평화협정을 하나도 준수하지않고, 마치 꼬마가 생트집을 하면서 욕하고 울어 대듯히 남한정부와 미국을 너무도 많이 들볶았었다.
몇년전으로 되돌아가서, 김대중 정부때는 햇볕정책이라는 명목으로 남한국민들의 세금 수십억달러를 북한에 퍼주었었다. 햇볕이 뜨거우면 옷을 벗게 된다는 김대중의 철학을 이행한것이었지만, 그들은 비핵화 대신에 그돈으로 핵무기, 탄도미사일을 개발하여, 현재 한국뿐아니고 미국까지도 위협하고있다.
지난 정부에서 남북한 통일이 됐을 경우에 필요한 북한복구재원을 마련하기위해, 남북경협자금을 조성해 왔었는데, 문재인 정부가 북한에 퍼주느라 거의다 탕진했었다. 개성공단을 만들고 남북이산가족 상봉계획을 만들어 많은 달러를 북한 퍼주었었다. 정상적으로 이산가족 상봉을 진행했었다면, 서울과 평양이 한번씩 번갈아 가면서이산가족 상봉을 했어야 했다. 전부 이북의 금강산에서 했었다. 북한이 필요한 달러를 그런식으로 퍼준것이다.
김정일, 김정은과 Regime이 정상회담에서 약속했었던 남한방문을 한번도 이행한적이 없었다. 그만큼 북한 정권은 진정성과 신의를 보여준적이 없이 계속 트집잡고 비난만 했었다는 증거이기도하다.
협상에는 Give and Take 법칙이 꼭 적용돼야한다. 남북관계에서 이원칙이 지켜진적은 한번도 없었다. 지금이라도 정신똑바로 차리고, 문재인 정부의 하수인으로 전락해서, 북한을 연구하는 방향을 바꾸어 Neutral Boundary안에서 제궤도를 찾아 진행되기를 간절히 충고한다. 문재인 정부는 이기고문을 좋아할것으로 믿지만.
Editor's note: Gabriela Bernal is a Korean analyst and a PhD student at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, South Korea. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily the views of CGTN.
The ROK took action on July 17 to punish DPRK defector groups for sending anti-DPRK propaganda leaflets across the border. In an apparent attempt to appease its northern neighbor, the ROK's Unification Ministry revoked the operation permits of two DPRK defector organizations for "gravely hindering" efforts towards unification.
The move came a month after Pyongyang blew up the inter-Korean liaison office near its southern border to protest against the spreading of leaflets by defector groups. The leaflets are distributed across the border in hydrogen balloons and include information about the outside world, dollar bills, criticism of the Kim government, and USBs loaded with ROK and Western media, among other things.
Seoul's decision to punish the defector organizations has come as an unwelcome surprise to human rights activists, who claim the ROK is putting relations with the DPRK above the rights of its own citizens. These comments are, however, rather exaggerated and not entirely accurate.
Not only do the actions of these groups hinder the government's efforts at positive engagement with the North, but they also put the lives of ordinary people (including their own) at risk. ROK citizens living near the northern border are put in constant danger by the actions of such groups given their proximity to those groups' activities.
Moreover, the actions of such defector groups are also putting the lives of their own people in the DPRK at risk as they could potentially face execution if caught possessing or distributing the materials found in the balloons sent by these groups. Although the intentions of defector groups are good, they don't always have the desired effect.
Defector groups, like the ROK government, want to ultimately help DPRK citizens lead better lives. However, the only way this can happen effectively and last in the long-term is if both governments are able to consistently communicate, cooperate, and increase their trust levels. Without these basic pillars, the effect of these defectors' leaflets and balloons will be rather minimal.
DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, left, and ROK President Moon Jae-in during a ceremony to mark the second anniversary of a summit between Kim and Moon in Seoul, South Korea, April 27, 2020. /AP
Even if exposed to outside information, very few people in the DPRK are able to successfully leave the country and end up living in the ROK or elsewhere. Moreover, outside information, such as ROK dramas and American movies, have been making their way into the DPRK for a long time. It isn't a new phenomenon. Despite this, however, the political situation remains tense and the lives of ordinary DPRK citizens have not improved much at all.
This is why engagement at the higher levels is so important. How can there be active engagement between the two Koreans' citizens if communication between the two governments is not even taking place? It simply is not sustainable and any real, long-term change will only come through breakthroughs at the higher, political levels.
The current ROK administration understands this and is actively working to repair damaged inter-Korean ties. For example, ROK National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug proposed talks with his DPRK counterpart to discuss ways to enhance peace and cooperation between the two countries.
"Let us (meet) to declare a commitment to peace on the peninsula and co-prosperity and find ways to institutionally back up inter-Korean relations," Park said. Although it's unlikely Pyongyang will immediately jump at the opportunity to resume talks with Seoul, it is at least a step in the right direction after the fiasco that went down last month.
There is far too much at stake for Seoul to allow a seemingly trivial act like leaflet spreading to be the cause of increased tensions on the peninsula. Granted, Pyongyang had various other reasons for committing the aggressive acts it did in June, but it certainly did not appreciate the anti-DPRK leafleting campaigns.
What may seem like a small gesture by Seoul can go a long way in beginning to repair strained inter-Korean ties. For now, it is too early to say what effect this recent decision by the Unification Ministry will have (if any), but it should be regarded as a responsible and necessary choice.
The ROK can't afford to please everyone at the cost of further damaging relations with the DPRK. This decision clearly shows Seoul's commitment towards engagement with Pyongyang and promoting peace, not tension, on the Korean Peninsula.
(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at opinions@cgtn.com.)
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